Graduation Day
by smithren
Summary: Paige thinks about gifts that she will get the team for helping her to achieve this academic milestone. The team also plans gifts for Paige.
1. Chapter 1

**Graduation Day**

 **Chapter One – Waiting**

Glancing at the clock, she realized that she had been attempting to complete the same forms for over an hour. She had only gotten as far as filling in the day's date – May 13, 2016 – before getting lost in her thoughts. She reminded herself that it was silly – no, _inefficient and illogical_ – to obsess over her grades, due to be posted today. She had already taken the tests, and could not change her answers if she wanted to. Even though she turned in her last exam on May 9th, she knew from experience that teachers waited until as close to the end of the grading period as possible to post the grades, and they likely would not be up before 8 p.m. Though Paige was always nervous about her grades, this semester was important because it was the last before graduation. She already had the invitation and the cap and gown in hand, but she had it in her head that she was not going to walk across the graduation stage, on May 17, 2016, unless it was official and she had passed all of her classes.

She turned her head in the direction of the loft and chuckled as she thought of the genius who had repeated that exact phrase to her last night – Walter O'Brien, the leader of Scorpion, her boss, and for the past five months, her boyfriend – in a failed attempt to turn her attention from obsessing over whether or not she would graduate to _other_ things. She couldn't blame him, though; after dancing around their feelings for each other for four months, each coming close to admitting that they did not honestly report the results of their relationship experiment, the relationship began slowly when they finally had a moment last year a few days after Christmas.

Once started, the relationship progressed steadily and became physical on Valentine's Day, an occasion that still made Paige smile to think about. However, the last few months had been extremely busy between school and more difficult Scorpion cases, so there were not too many opportunities for intimate alone time with Walter. As a matter of fact, Paige had been so preoccupied, it just occurred to her that it had to have been at least three weeks since they had shared any time alone. Walter's attempt to take advantage of a rare early night since there was no case, when she did not have schoolwork because she was done with classes, and when Ralph was sound asleep, her stress-induced response to her genius's usual logical approach to her worries was much harsher than necessary. In addition to everything else, plans of making up with her genius began to invade her thoughts and her cheeks became suddenly flushed.

Thinking of making up with Walter reminded Paige of the special gift she was planning to get him for her graduation. Paige wanted to get Walter something to thank him for all of his support while she was in school, from the first day he found out and asked Cabe to escort her to her final exam, to assisting her with her science courses, and even watching Ralph some nights and on weekends so that she could study. She wanted to do something special for him. She knew he liked her voice, so she decided that she was going to sing a song for him, _Amazed_ by _Lonestar_. She believed this song captured the feelings she had for the genius.

Paige was jolted from her thoughts by the sound of a falling screwdriver and realized another hour had gone by and she was no further along with her paperwork. She decided it was useless and she was going out for the day to clear her mind. Hopefully, there would be some updates when she got back.

Not sure of her resolve if she were to see him right now, she texted Walter. **_Going out for a bit to clear my head, I won't be back until dinner. Can you please pick up Ralph?_** **Also,** ** _please take a break and eat something, try to get Toby and Happy to do the same._**

Walter responded quickly. **_Of course I can get Ralph._** **_Are you still upset with me about last night? I am sorry that I did not adequately analyze and respond to your inquiry about your grades. If you provide me with your current syllabi and a history of your past grades, I could predict where you would fall on whatever grading curve your professors have described._**

 ** _No that won't be necessary_** , she wrote with a smiley face. ** _I understand your behavior last night and forgive you. I promise we can talk later. I am going to go now, call if you need anything._**

Paige grabbed her purse, her phone, and her iPod before leaving the garage. She did not even bother saying goodbye to Toby and Happy, who were too engrossed in their projects to notice she was leaving.

Paige really was not sure where she was going when she left the garage. As if it had a mind of its own, her car ended up at Zuma Beach. She opened the trunk and grabbed the blanket she kept there along with her journal and a pen. Journaling was a habit she picked up from Walter. With his low, but growing, emotional quotient, journaling helped him to catalogue and organize his thoughts and emotions. She had begun to use the practice as a way to reflect on things when she was feeling particularly stressed. After all, facing death nearly every day would cause anyone to ponder life's big questions. Today, though, she hoped to reflect on her co-workers, and how to best express her gratitude, not only for their role in helping her reach this achievement, but more importantly for accepting her and her son into their lives, their family, their Cyclone.

 **Author's Notes:**

 **1\. First and foremost, special thanks to my Betareader: lookingforthestars**

 **2\. Disclaimer: I do not own Scorpion or any of its characters. CBS owns Scorpion and its characters**

 **3\. This is my first fanfiction ever, so please be honest but kind. If this is not a story that I should continue please let me know. Also, I am not a creative writer by trade (I am a lawyer) but I am in love with these characters and had this idea for a story. Still, if my creative writing is not good please let me know. I would not want to subject the fandom to a substandard story and am happy to just enjoy reading the work of other awesome writers who post on this site.**

 **4\. If this story is something people feel I should continue, the Chapter 2 update will take some time. Chapter 2 is likely the longest chapter of this story and will take the most time to compose, please be patient.**

 **5\. I researched as best I could for the name of Paige's school but did not find it, if anyone knows please share.**


	2. Paige's Day - Part One

**Graduation Day:**

 **Chapter Two – Paige's Day (PART ONE)**

Settling into a comfortable spot on the beach, Paige focused her attention on the team behaviorist, Toby. Well actually, she was thinking about making up with Walter later, but thinking of her and Walter made her think of Toby, and how he fought for them from the very beginning.

 _May 13, 2016 - Toby_

 _Toby always took his hat off during our therapy sessions. This is something I noticed after the second or third session. I asked him why he did not wear his hat, and he said he wanted to seem more professional._

The memory of this exchange caused Paige to chuckle and she continued:

 _I remember when my "couch time" sessions with Toby first started. I have faced life and death since before my first day at Scorpion. However, after almost getting shot in the head on a cruise ship, I began to have more serious anxiety. Never enough for me to consider leaving Scorpion, given all of the benefits, but sometimes I could barely sleep thinking about the possibility of dying: What would happen to Ralph? Could I trust Drew to raise him? How would the team react? Given everything I was feeling, I reluctantly asked Toby to be my therapist. He seemed like the perfect choice because he knew the job and he knew the people I would be talking about._

 _Over time, our sessions definitely became more like conversations. When I shared a particular concern, Toby never hesitated to open up about his own life to help me gain perspective. I really appreciated that. I liked that Toby did not just give me abstract advice like other therapists. If I had a concern that he had a personal perspective on, he did not hesitate to share it._

 _The first time Toby shared anything personal was when I was considering Drew's asking me to move with him to Portland. Toby did not hesitate in telling me about his troubled childhood. He told me that on some level, he would always love his parents, but there was no doubt that his life is better without them in it. He told me that sometimes the parents we are born with just are not able to love us and care for us in a positive way. He told me that I should not feel obligated to let Drew spend time with Ralph just because "one of those little swimmers had a sense of direction." If I was not sure he would be a positive influence, I should be careful. Toby told me he would give this advice to any parent in my situation, but he admitted to being slightly biased because it was Ralph._

 _I discussed with Toby that Ralph was obviously my number one priority in making a decision, but that there was another complication. Toby's effectiveness as my therapist was dependent on my confiding in him, so he was the first person I actually told about my feelings for Walter (though he likely figured it out before I told him). I told him that I did not think I could continue to work at Scorpion because these feelings I had would go unreciprocated, and I did not think I could handle that; if I was going to have to go through the trouble of finding a new job anyway, why not go to Portland and give Ralph a chance at a normal family life?_

 _Even back then, Toby laughed at the notion that Walter did not have feelings for me. He told me about his "board." Even though I had noticed some changes in Walter, Toby told me a few things I did not know about Walter's changing behavior. Toby told me, "When your dancing at the gala was interrupted by the target, Walter asked Sylvester five times how much longer I needed to dance with that guy. He really was not happy about that at all. That same day, after the case was over, he threatened to withhold everyone's paychecks if we did not stay and help with Ralph's costume and go to the party. He arranged a business dinner on Valentine's Day at Escala (I actually knew about the first part, the second part made my jaw drop), he let you get out of the helicopter before him, ignoring Sylvester's calculations, there was the stunt he pulled on the train to save you and Ralph, and the thing that stuck in my crawl the most: he contaminated the coffee pot with cinnamon, and regardless of what Walter said, everyone knew he did that because you liked it."_

 _Toby concluded that I shouldn't leave because Walter did not reciprocate my feelings. Walter did have feelings for me, but he was a genius who didn't know how to process these emotions. And like any normal person who has had previous relationships that did not work out, he was scared of these feelings._

 _This particular session with Toby left me with a lot to think about. However, before I could fully consider the implications of Toby's revelations and advice, Ralph almost incinerated himself on a case and I freaked out. I can admit it now, I freaked out and overreacted in deciding to leave for Portland._

 _That fight with Walter could have changed everything, but Toby would not give up. Toby the therapist was brilliant, clinical, and calm in giving advice. Toby the friend and co-worker just refused to give up on Walter and I. Toby fought for us, before we had the good sense to fight for each other. Thank goodness he did._

 _The first time we talked after my fight with Walter about leaving Scorpion, he was the first person to tell me that my desire to leave was about more than protecting Ralph. He knew that my feelings for Walter scared me._

Paige could feel tears start to roll down her cheeks as she remembered Toby's impassioned plea for her to reconsider leaving, and she pushed them away with her hand.

 _He also knew that I really did not want to go to Portland and he correctly observed that I was not very comfortable around Drew. I was looking for an escape and going away and being unhappy was not good for me or Ralph. He vowed to personally convey to the team why Ralph putting himself in that situation was inappropriate, and with the most serious look I have ever seen on his face, vowed that nothing would ever happen to Ralph on Scorpion's watch._

 _I will never forget that despite my still planning to leave, he was the first one to forgive me after Walter's accident. Regardless of Mother Nature's involvement, I still felt responsible. I cried during my first "couch time" session post-accident. I asked him how he could forgive what I did, with Walter almost dying because of me. He told me that the thing about families is that they always find a way to work it out, no matter what. This was the first time I had ever heard Toby refer to me as family. I was shocked, especially given how our relationship started._

 _Toby also reminded me that I had been given a gift, a second chance. Facing death every day, I deserved to truly live and needed to tell Walter how I feel._

 _Surprisingly, Toby really did not really push back on the plan of Walter and I to remain friends and colleagues instead of pursuing a relationship right away. I asked him why once, and he said that as long as we were at Scorpion together, working side by side, we would find our way to each other. Two people who felt the way we did would not be able to suppress their feelings forever. As usual, Toby was right. By Christmas, I just could not take it anymore and the rest is history._

 _I would never have thought that the team member who once questioned my value to Scorpion would become a close confidant and friend. Toby's role in my actual educational journey was minimal. He was always happy to watch Ralph if I asked or looked stressed and needed a break. He also looked over the occasional paper that fell within his area of expertise. Still, I would not be in Los Angeles, at Scorpion, or dating Walter if not for him. Toby, like all the geniuses, is not very materialistic, but there are four things he cares about: his hair, his hat, Happy, and his car. I think I will get him a gift certificate for a car wash and detailing along with a handwritten thank you note. I sure he will appreciate someone telling him that his meddling, err, intervention was warranted and successful. Also a second coffee pot for the office._

After thinking about Toby, Paige's thoughts naturally turned to Happy as she stood up to stretch. Paige focused her attention toward the meditative sound of the crashing waves of the clear blue Pacific Ocean, took a few relaxing breaths, and watched the water for a few minutes.

 _May 13, 2016 - Happy_

 _I have never really noticed the ocean waves before. They can seem intimidating when first formed in the open ocean, yet that same wave ripples through the water then gently rolls against the sandy shore. Just like Happy._

 _The gentle side of Happy emerged when I was torn about whether or not to let Ralph spend time with Drew. Most of the other team members were opposed to the idea, but Happy, recalling painful memories of confusion and wondering about her parents from her childhood, encouraged me to allow Ralph to see Drew. I appreciated her showing her vulnerability and opening up to me in that moment, especially since we did not know each other that well. Things with Drew have not worked out as I had hoped, but she was right: at least Ralph does not need to worry, and has been able to assess his father's attitude toward parenting for himself._

 _I have seen the side of Happy that is as menacing and intimidating as a wave in the open ocean. When Happy called me on the morning of Walter's accident, she was the angriest I have known her to be. I remember how loudly she screamed at me over the phone, asking if I knew where Walter was then blaming me for hurting him. In hindsight, she was not wrong. I had encouraged Walter to tap into emotions that he was not able to process and then planned to abandon him and go to Portland. I will always regret that after that phone call I did not abandon my plans right away to help the team find Walter._

 _Even after Walter was saved from the cliff, our relationship was as tumultuous as a wave in the ocean for a few weeks. Even though Happy agreed to watch Ralph the night Walter was saved—I knew she would not take her feelings for me out on my son—things still were not right between us for a while; I had hurt a member of her family, and he almost died, and those were not things Happy could easily forgive or forget._

 _Our talk, really her talking at me, a few weeks after the accident, during a rare appearance at the garage to get tools as I was making homemade cupcakes for Walter, provided me with a perspective that I needed to assess my role at Scorpion._

The memory of the intensity of the mechanic's glare from the doorway of the kitchen caused the liaison to shiver momentarily before continuing,

 _I tried to apologize. She told me that my apology was appreciated, but what she wanted more was a commitment from me. She told me that as far as she was concerned, it was Cyclone first and Scorpion second. Before there was the company, there was the family, and if there comes a point when there is no longer a company, they would always be family. If this was just a job to me, something that I felt that I could leave for better opportunities or because I felt like it, then I should just go now because there would be no third chances. She walked out before I could respond. I knew there was nothing I could say anyway…my commitment to the Cyclone had to be proven through actions._

 _Our relationship is improving. Happy, along with Ralph, even built me a special alarm clock robot that screams at me if I don't wake up on time. It's a little weird, but comes in handy on days when I am really tired. Happy has also helped me with my physics class since I could not understand the professor at all. Still, I need to do something to prove that my commitment to the Cyclone is real and that I am not going anywhere, ever. I could officially join the Cyclone by marrying Walter,_ Paige wrote with a smile on her face _, maybe someday but not likely in the next four days._

Paige closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath as she pondered what she had been thinking of doing to prove her commitment to the team; really something that she had been thinking of doing for herself because of how much Scorpion has changed her life. She was hoping it would prove something to Happy. It would definitely serve as a _permanent_ symbol of her commitment to Scorpion. She turned toward the back of her journal where she had been sketching designs. After finding her favorite design, she reached for her wallet and pulled out the card that she got from Ray. She took a minute to consider the source, before grabbing her phone and dialing.

"Vine Street Tattoo, how can I help you?"

"Yes. Can I speak to Jay please? I'm a fr-friend of Ray," Paige replied

"Hi. This is Jay, who is this?"

"My name is Paige. Ray told me you were the best tattoo artist in the city."

"Oh yeah, how is Ray? He staying out of trouble these days?"

"It's been at least a week," Paige laughed.

"Any friend of Ray's is a friend of mine, what do you need?"

Paige proceeded to describe her design to Jay. A Scorpion surrounded by a double circle, with the names of the team in between the two circles, and the words "Scorpion, Cyclone, Family" on the outside of the circle. Jay gave Paige his email so that she could send him her sketch.

"That sounds nice, what you want to do for your friends. Custom work is my specialty, and I'm looking forward to having a blank canvas to work on," Jay stated excitedly.

"O-okay," Paige replied hesitantly, internally rethinking her decision

Jay quickly replied, "I'm sorry, I have to learn to contain my excitement around first timers. Listen, I'm no scratcher."

Paige, alarmed by what that comment could possibly refer to in this context, said, "You know what, I really don't think this is a good idea. I'm sorry I bothered you, I will tell Ray you said hi."

Jay realized the reason for her alarm, "No, don't hang up. I'm sorry, I forget that not everyone speaks the same language I do. What I meant to say is that I run a clean shop and our health regulation certificates are always up to date. We have never had a code violation in the fifteen years that I have been here. I would consider it an honor to help you with your special gift."

Paige, feeling more comfortable, laughed at the irony of Jay's statement, and made a note to check the studio's records. She told Jay that she would email her design and hoped to have the tattoo before the 17th if possible.

After finishing her conversation with Jay, Paige checked the time and realized she had been at the beach for almost three hours. She considered leaving and heading back to the garage, but the weather was beautiful, the sun was shining, and there was a perfect breeze blowing. However, she was starting to get hungry, and gathered her stuff for the brief walk back to her car to see if she had any snacks. She found some trail mix and a bottle of water before returning to her previous spot on the beach.

She stood for a moment, stretching her arms out lengthwise and loosening up her legs by standing on her toes. Glancing at her arm, she thought of the work of art that would soon occupy the spot and how the team would react. Sylvester would have lots to say about tattoos, Paige was sure of it: needles of unknown origin pressing ink into one's flesh. Yes, she was sure she would get a lecture from the team's resident mathematician. She grabbed her journal and started to write:

 _May 13, 2016 - Sylvester_

_Sylvester is like the adorable and comic book-loving little brother that I never had. Of all of the members of Scorpion, I think Sylvester is the bravest. Walter always risks his life for the team, but he is taking "calculated risks" and is sometimes just reckless. Sylvester is different: he is afraid of just about everything, but he overcomes these fears and anxieties when the team needs him. He's like Superman fighting Lex Luthor despite the fact that Lex Luthor has kryptonite. Sylvester has stared in the face of death, literally, to help keep a criminal gang from killing innocent people. He faced his fear of disease to save a young girl's life. He dragged a member of the army through a burning forest, saving his life. He put three kids in a helicopter to safety while staying behind in a burning building. How could I ever forget his cry of "BONESTEEL," before jumping onto a lifeboat from two levels up on a cruise ship to help capture a gun trafficker? Yes, in our work, Sylvester often proves to be braver than us all._

 _It is no different in life. Despite all he fears, Sylvester proved himself braver than even myself, in having the courage to love someone who was dying, though the fact that she was Walter's sister may have caused him more anxiety. Sylvester came to me and told me why he could not go to Kazakhstan to help retrieve the nuclear weapon. He said he just had to talk to somebody and knew that he could trust me. He cried and admitted that he didn't know what to do. I, of all people, told him that the best thing he could do was go to Megan and let her know that she was loved and then show her every chance he could. I promised him it would make all the difference in the time she had left._

She paused for a moment as she thought about her friend and pushed through tears as she continued.

 _Thankfully, Megan is still with us, but her surgery did not go as well as doctors had hoped, and unfortunately it may not be much longer. I will miss Megan and I do not know how to prepare myself to help Sylvester through this loss and hopefully keep Walter from going down some rabbit hole he can't climb out of._

 _When it came to school, Sylvester tried to help with my math courses. However, I usually left tutoring sessions with him more confused. Sylvester never doubted that I would succeed, and if I needed it, he provided a detailed analysis of how well I had to do to stay above everyone else in the class on whatever curve there was. I asked him once how he could calculate that without knowing about the other students. I immediately regretted that decision. As with all of the Cyclone, Sylvester was never hesitant to occupy Ralph for an hour, a night, or a weekend if I asked._

 _When the producers of the Super Fun Guy movie called to offer Scorpion two tickets to the movie premiere for helping retrieve a nuclear weapon that was tethered, even loosely, to their movie set, it was a no brainer who was getting them. I tried to talk them into getting tickets for everyone, but they only had two tickets to spare, and I graciously accepted on Scorpion's behalf. Everyone agreed they should go to Sylvester. I am adding, as a gift, a limousine to drive Sylvester and his chosen guest around for the night._

 _At Megan's suggestion, I also contacted a local artist and writer team and asked them to create a comic book-style painting featuring Sylvester and some of the heroic things he has done for the team. For some reason, I thought the '50s comic book styling suited Sylvester the best. Megan and I both want Sylvester to always remember how heroic and brave he is for facing his fears on a daily basis. Hopefully Sylvester, who loves art, will appreciate it. Even if he doesn't, Megan helped come up with the idea, and I know he would never dislike anything Megan gives him._

 _-TO BE CONTINUED -_

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES**

 **1\. First and foremost, I do not Scorpion or any of its characters. CBS owns Scorpion and all of its characters**

 **2\. Special thank you to my Betareader – Lookingforthestars**

 **3\. Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 both take place on the same day May 13, 2016.**

 **4\. I am rating this chapter (M) as a precaution only**

 **5\. This chapter was incredibly hard to write. I changed the structure a few times. I settled on having the journal entries and other reflections occur naturally as part of Paige's day. This method flowed the best to me but I anxiously await your opinions.**

 **6\. There is a (Waige) scene that I hope everyone enjoys (the official Waige makeup and Paige's reflection on Walter are still forthcoming)**

 **7\. ** SPOILER ALERT* - There is an extremely brief reference to the next episode of Scorpion airing 11/2/2015 in the USA. I took it from the promo that aired after the last episode but wanted to give fair warning.**

 **8\. Please review or let me know if you have any questions. Most importantly ENJOY!**


	3. Paige's Day - Part Two

**Graduation Day**

 **Paige's Day - Part Two**

Paige was about to turn her thoughts to Cabe when she heard her phone start to ring. She noticed the time – 3:15p.m. – Ralph.

"Hey Ralph," Paige answered, "How was school?"

"School was great. Billy, Sloan, and I beat the other team at dodgeball during recess," Ralph answered excitedly.

"That's great, Ralph. I'm proud of you for playing with the other kids," Paige stated with a proud smile in her voice.

"Yes, it was simple physics. It took a few tries, but once I analyzed the proper trajectory to throw the ball so that it hit the person low on their body and they could not catch it, we went undefeated."

"Well, as long as you had fun," Paige responded, utterly amazed at her son's ability to turn a playground game into a science experiment.

"Mom?"

"Yes, Ralph."

He asked, "When we make chicken piccata tonight, can we make extra? I told Billy and Sloan about it, and they want me to bring some for them to try."

Paige was silent for a moment and cursed in her head, just remembering at this moment that she and Ralph were cooking chicken piccata for the team. Her secret plans with Walter would be delayed.

Ralph, sensing something was wrong, asked in a disappointed tone, "You didn't forget, did you?"

"No, of course not. I will be back at the garage in plenty of time to cook. I may need you to go to the store and pick up the ingredients. Do you remember what we need?"

"We have made this dish before so yes, I know the ingredients. However, I cannot account for what is available at the garage," Ralph responded in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Okay," Paige laughed, "Just to be on the safe side, get all of the ingredients for the dish. Do me a favor and put the phone on speaker so I can talk to Walter."

"Hey Paige," the genius answered. "How is your day away from the office going?"

"Productive actually. Anyway, can you do me a favor and take Ralph to the store to get the ingredients for chicken piccata?"

Walter, ignoring the impulse to inquire how a day away from work to relax could be classified as productive, responded, "Okay, even though Ralph will know what to get from memory, will you be sending a list?"

"You're learning. I texted the list to Ralph. Walter, please make sure that…."

Walter finished her thought. "Yes, I will make sure he completes his homework before playing games or working on a project."

"Thank you Walter, I really appreciate it. I will see you back at the garage around 5:30."

 **~~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~**

Paige quickly calculated that she needed to leave no later than 4:30 to give herself time to go home, shower, and pack before going to the garage. She set her phone alarm for 4:20 so she did not lose track of time. At the moment, though, all she could think about was Walter and Ralph shopping for ingredients to make dinner, like a father and son. Before getting too lost down that path, knowing she could spend way more than thirty minutes thinking about her two favorite geniuses, she quickly re-focused her thoughts to Cabe.

She had pretty much decided what she was getting him, but he was a member of the team, and she did not want to leave him out of her reflections. However, her hand was starting to get tired from writing, and she wanted to rest her eyes for a few minutes as well, so she grabbed her iPod and positioned her purse as a pillow to lay her head back. She focused her thoughts on Cabe, but she could not recall anything specific about how he helped her with her education. Instead, a pair of vivid memories from last fall captured her thoughts.

 _"_ _Mom, can I take boxing lessons with Cabe?"_

 _"_ _Wh-what, um, I'm sorry, you want to learn to b-box?"_

 _"_ _Yes, I saw Cabe teaching Toby, and he said he could teach me too, so can I, please?"_

 _"_ _I will have to think about it and talk to Cabe…I think Walter was looking for you, he's in the loft."_

 _"_ _Okay."_

 _As Ralph disappeared upstairs, Paige immediately walked over to the agent. "Can I speak with you for a second?"_

 _"_ _Of course, what's on your mind?"_

 _"_ _Did you offer to give Ralph boxing lessons? I don't want him boxing, it's dangerous. He could get hurt."_

 _"_ _Paige, you are going to have to let the boy grow up some time, I know he's your son, and you worry, but he is also a genius, and you have already seen that people will try to bully him. That boy of yours is smart, and until now he's been able to use his brains to get out of situations, but he needs to learn to stand up to people who will try to intimidate him physically. He needs to feel confident that he can defend himself."_

 _Paige was still not convinced. "But he is so young, I mean, boxing, what if he gets a concussion or something, I, I don't know!"_

 _Cabe countered, "Paige, he's not fighting in the undercard to Mayweather – Pacquio tomorrow. I'm just going to teach the boy the basic form for throwing some punches and blocking hits. I will even buy the gloves, headgear, and shoes. I promise he will be safe."_

 _Paige paced in a circle and ran her hand through her hair. "I guess what you said makes sense…"_

 _Cabe interrupted, "Listen Paige, I have never really interfered in your parenting decisions regarding Drew and Ralph, and I admire that you want them to have a relationship. It's commendable – not many mothers in your position would give a guy that chance. That being said, second to cultivating Ralph's genius abilities is teaching the boy to be a man. If I may say so, Drew will never be able to do that, and it will be hard for Ralph to respect him. He left, and yes, he came back, but he left. A boy with the mental abilities of Ralph will never forget that. He will never forget how much you struggled, the eviction that Walter told me about, the other things I'm sure you will never tell anybody about that you went through in the nine years before we met you and that his father was not there when you both needed him the most. Whether it's true or not, Ralph will always feel that things would have been better if his father was there. Ralph may cultivate a relationship with Drew, but it does not mean that Drew is equipped to teach Ralph to be a man, or even if he is that it is something he can do alone. I don't consider myself to be perfect, but I believe I can help him develop other characteristics that will make him quite the young man someday. If you would let me, I would be honored to try to do for Ralph what I tried to do for Walter: help him become a better man than me."_

 _Paige touched by his emotional plea, reluctantly allowed Ralph to take boxing lessons. After she finally agreed, she and Cabe told him together._

 _"_ _Really? Thanks Mom. Cabe, when can we start?"_

 _"_ _Easy there Ralph, we have to go over the rules first. Your mom and I agreed: protective gear at all times, no exceptions. I don't care what Toby says about how it makes your hair look. Also, you are not allowed to use any of your newfound skills in school. Physical violence is absolutely a last resort, and only to be used if absolutely necessary, you understand?"_

Besides this conversation, there was really one other time Paige and Cabe spent a significant amount of time alone. Paige recalled the investigation into a virus on Walter's computer that was causing problems at a building Scorpion designed for Richard Elia. As usual, Paige could get nothing past the observant agent.

 _"_ _I was married once, you know," Cabe stated out of the blue, after they dropped Walter off to deal with the problems in the building._

 _"_ _Yes, I know, we helped her with a case. What does that have to do with anything?"_

 _"_ _I've been on the receiving end of the look you gave Walter in the hotel room earlier. Last time it was right before my wife announced she wanted a divorce. How long have you two been dating?"_

 _"_ _What, we-we're not dating. I was just surprised. I never thought of Walter as a guy who would do something like that, and I was disappointed that he would risk a job for a one-night stand. That's all. It doesn't matter anyway because we're close to proving he was drugged so…"_

 _"_ _Is that the lie you're telling yourself? Is it working?"_

 _Paige sighed and stated, louder than she intended, "Under the circumstances, it's going to have to."_

 _"_ _What?"_

 _"_ _Oh my God, I did not mean for you to hear that, and it's nothing," Paige said, sinking down in her seat._

 _"_ _Kid, come on, you'll feel better if you talk about it."_

 _Paige, knowing the agent would not give up, took a deep breath and told Cabe about the talk she and Walter had and the decision not to act on their feelings for the good of Scorpion._

 _Cabe scoffed. "I can see how Mr. 197 would think that's possible, seeing as he has never really been in love before. But you went along with this? You know it's not possible to bury your feelings like that. The jealous glare you flashed Walter's way not too long ago is Exhibit A."_

 _"_ _True, but I can't be in a relationship by myself. He is not ready for a relationship yet and I can't force it. He is getting better at processing his emotions, so who knows what the future will hold. I do hope that someday he will be willing to give us a try, but for now, we are professional colleagues. And I looked at him that way because I'm upset he almost ruined a job by going out drinking with a villainous skank, with bad taste in perfume, who may have drugged him, and is the reason hundreds of people are trapped in a building. Okay."_

 _Cabe laughed. "Okay."_

Paige opened her eyes as her alarm sounded. She thought about how she would be eternally grateful for the role that Cabe was willing to take on in Ralph's life and for always giving his honest and straightforward perspective on her complicated relationship with Walter. Ralph loved spending time with Cabe; they did things that were different than what he did with the geniuses. Cabe always sought to give Ralph experiences beyond video games, computers, and electronics. Surprisingly, Ralph was receptive to these experiences and was excited about building a model airplane. Cabe would enjoy teaching Ralph to build it, giving them the opportunity to talk man to man. Ralph had a growing interest in aviation, and thought the model plane would allow a unique perspective on airplane construction and engineering. That worked for Paige. Paige quickly grabbed her day planner and added "Model Airplane" to the list of gifts she needed to get.

Checking her watch, Paige quickly gathered her stuff and went to her car. She would need to hurry to make it to the garage by 5:30. Though neither of them were ever far from her thoughts, her reflections of Ralph and Walter would need to wait until some other time.

 **~~~~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~~~**

Paige returned to the garage and found the lower level empty. She could see the light on in the loft, and knew Walter must be there, because to have lights on when no one was home would be inefficient. She dropped her bags by the door, and called for Walter in the direction of the loft while heading to the kitchen to start cooking. She was disappointed because she was looking forward to cooking with Ralph, and she feared he got roped into an errand with the geniuses. She was surprised to find Walter in the kitchen getting a glass of water.

"Why didn't you answer when…"

Paige never finished her question as Walter swiftly closed the distance between them and crashed his lips into hers.

Paige's body responded before her brain could stop her, and as she passionately returned his kiss, wrapping her hands around his neck and running a hand over the back of his head. Walter backed them into the counter and started to move his hand under her blouse as his lips slowly tantalized her jawline and neck. Paige knew they needed to stop, but the movement of his hands and lips caused her to let out a soft moan. Somehow, Paige managed to regain her senses after a few minutes and remember the tasks at hand, right before his fingers reached the clasp of her bra. She called his name and pushed him lightly.

"Walter, we can't right now. I'm sure the team will be back any minute and I need to start dinner."

Walter, continuing to gently suck her neck right above her shoulder blades, responded, "the team is getting dessert from your favorite bakery across town and will be at least an hour, and Ralph is upstairs playing chess with my noise-cancelling headphones on."

Paige was enjoying the feeling of his lips on her neck, but tried to discourage the genius's actions. "I really do need to start dinner if we're going to eat at a decent hour."

Walter stopped abruptly and backed away. He ran his hand over his face and stated in a disappointed tone while walking toward the back entrance to the loft, "Okay, I will send Ralph down to help you cook, and I'll be upstairs."

Paige moved to stop him. "Hey, what's wrong? I know you aren't this upset because we can't fool around right now. Talk to me."

Walter really did not want to tell Paige what was on his mind; he felt embarrassed that he was so needy, but he couldn't help it. Somehow he went from a guy who did not even like physical contact to a guy who craved being intimately close to the woman standing in front of him. It wasn't just the physical release or sheer pleasure he felt when they explored each other; the emotions he experienced in those moments were like nothing he had ever felt before. Since she didn't seem interested lately, he feared that maybe the experience was not the same for her. After a minute in his thoughts, he heard his name again.

"Yes," Walter responded stoically.

"Why are you so upset?"

"Umm, I-I'm n-not up-set, I just…it's nothing."

"Walter, if it's upsetting you, it's not nothing. Please tell me," she softly stated, reaching for his hand.

Walter let go of her hands and started pacing the kitchen before looking at her and asking bluntly, "Paige, are you happy with our relationship?"

Paige began to answer quickly, "Yes, of course," but the full meaning of his question in context dawned on her midsentence. She moved close and placed her hand on his arm. "Walter, I am a _very_ happy woman, I promise."

"Are you sure?" Walter asked, starting to pace again. "Because it's been a long time since, you know. We have only had a physical relationship for a few months, which statistically is not a great sample size, but I think it's been significantly longer than usual, and I mean, I don't expect that we would every night, not that I wouldn't want to if you wanted, but I just…I've never really been in a relationship before and I've told you about my past girlfriends, so if you were somehow dissatisfied which is why the frequency of our intimate activities has changed I could understand—."

Paige called his name a few times to interrupt his ramblings, to no avail. Finally, she kissed him lightly on the cheek, grabbing his attention immediately.

"Walter, I can assure you I am satisfied with our physical relationship." She moved close to him so that she could whisper in his ear, "I love the feel of your hands all over my body and how attentive you always are."

As Paige moved to back away from him, Walter kept her from going too far by placing both hands on her hips. Paige could see his eyes scanning her body while one hand ventured lower. His look was so needful and urgent. She knew immediately that her teasing had gone too far; after all, the man had been waiting three weeks. She didn't realize how much she missed him, because even through her jeans she could feel the effect of his touch on her bottom and upper thigh. She had to bite her lips to keep from ravishing him, despite the fact that she was the one who asked him to stop a few minutes ago.

Paige was thankful Walter was only looking at her because she was able to maintain some composure and move his hand back to her waist. "We've just been busy lately, that's all. I only realized today how long it's been since we've had any time alone, and I wanted to apologize for getting mad at you yesterday. I realize how desperate you must have been and how my response must have seemed. That is why things are going to change tonight."

"Tonight?" Walter asked excitedly

Paige shook her head while running her hand up and down his jawline. "I was going to surprise you, but what if I told you that I planned for Cabe to take Ralph for the night, so that after dinner you and I could go up to the loft and spend the whole night alone together? I brought those silky pajamas you got me for Valentine's Day…"

Walter, now almost completely undone by what Paige was saying and doing, noted, "T-the b-b-black and red ones, with the short shorts and the really l-lo-ow neckline."

"Uh huh," Paige said with a smile. "We can check for my grades together and depending on what they are, we can spend the entire night celebrating or you can spend the entire night consoling me."

She escaped from his grasp and moved toward the counter before clearing her throat, looking seductively in his direction and continuing, "However, our night together cannot start until after dinner, and dinner can't start until I cook, so I'm going to get started."

Walter, of course, suggested that they order take out or, better yet, tell the team that dinner would be tomorrow. Under normal circumstances Paige would have agreed, but Ralph was looking forward to it and she didn't want to disappoint him.

Paige, half trying to convince herself, stated, "We've waited this long, we can wait a few more hours. I promise the waiting will be worth it."

Walter let out a resigned sigh. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Paige, loving the effect she was having on the genius, replied, "How about you send Ralph down to help me cook, and after you clean yourself up, can you make sure everything is all set on the roof?"

Walter sprinted toward the stairs, almost tripping over his own feet. She ran her fingers through her hair, taking a deep breath. She could make it a few hours, couldn't she?

 **~~~~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~~~~**

Ralph washed his hands and grabbed an apron before joining his mother at the counter. The genius immediately went to work. First, the mathematical prodigy made swift work of revising the recipe for the amount of chicken to be cooked. Next, there was setting up the bowls for dredging: one with precise measurements of flour, salt, and pepper, another with the correct combination of eggs and water. Paige would have prepared these things freehand, but her son liked to cook "the scientific way."

Paige cut the chicken into pieces, more precise than usual since Ralph was helping, and handed the pieces to her son to dredge in the mixtures then place on a baking sheet until they were ready to be put in the pan. There were quite a few pieces of chicken to dredge, and Walter and Ralph had brought precut onions and herbs, so Paige leaned against the counter watching her son, and her mind began to drift. She grabbed the shopping list pad from the refrigerator and started to write:

 _Before Scorpion, my son sat at the counter of a diner playing chess alone with sugar packets. I feel ashamed that even I, his mother, did not fully understand him or how special he was. Now he's at the counter helping me to make dinner for this surrogate family that have chosen to love him and teach him from the day they met. I would not have been able to afford the babysitting bills to attend school and am grateful that members of the Cyclone were always willing to watch Ralph. Without Scorpion, things would have turned out differently._

She glanced at Ralph, who was still dredging, and remembered a moment, not too long before she met Scorpion, that she wished she could erase from her memory forever. She tried to hold back the tears with Ralph so close, but she couldn't and they started to fall.

 _I will always regret the day I actually considered sending Ralph to a special school. A few days before Scorpion showed up at the diner for the LAX case. Ralph's school had called a conference and said that since he had been absent for so many days, they had no choice but to unregister him from school. They told me that I should start looking for other schools as his "non-verbal learning disorder" required skills beyond their expertise. They handed me some brochures for private schools for kids with special needs. I asked what would happen if I could not afford any of these schools. They said Ralph would be enrolled in the state-sponsored school for children with severe behavioral and mental disorders. I didn't even bother reading the brochures for private schools, and started looking into the state-sponsored school the following day. I remember telling myself that it couldn't be as bad as I was imagining, as I tried to sleep._

 _I remember my worst fears being confirmed the next day. The "school" was nothing more than a glorified juvenile detention hall. All of the classrooms had metal doors, armed guards were everywhere, the kids looked like they were in a daze, and I saw nurses and medical staff handing out medicine just about the entire time I was there. I talked to the administrator, and was surprised to learn that the school had already called about Ralph. He tried to convince me that the school would be good for Ralph, as they had medical staff who could diagnose and treat him. He said there are many disorders that could result in kids being non-verbal and with staff to observe him all day instead of just in single sessions, it may be easier to identify and diagnose the problem. He said that sending my child to the school was not a sign that I was giving up, but that I was doing what was best for my child – sending him to an environment best equipped to deal with his challenges._

 _Just then, there was a loud noise outside and we walked to the door to find a child, not much bigger than Ralph, screaming, "I don't want to go" while being restrained and hogtied by one of the guards._

 _I quickly grabbed my things and sprinted to my car. I never wanted to get away from anywhere so quickly. I went home that night and cried – I did not want to send Ralph to that school, but what choice did I have? If he wasn't enrolled in school, the state could take him from my custody. I wouldn't consider myself an extremely religious person, but that night, I sat on the floor, leaning against my baby's bed, crying and holding his hand as he slept, asking God to please provide some other alternative for my baby. That school would eat him alive, and I didn't think he would ever talk to me again if I was forced to send him there._

Paige, visibly sobbing now, was jarred from her extremely emotional memory by the sound of Walter calling her name.

"What are you doing in the kitchen?" Paige asked, surprised by his presence there for the second time.

"Ralph said that you were experiencing a complex secretomotor phenomenon characterized by the shedding of tears from the lacrimal apparatus. Since we brought pre-cut onions, and he did not notice any other irritation of the ocular structures, he was worried and came to get me." He noticed her confused expression and took a breath. "Why are you crying?"

Paige handed Walter the notepad as she buried her head in his chest. The genius held Paige against him with one hand and grabbed the notepad with the other – regardless of his thoughts earlier in the day, all he could think of now was making sure she was okay. He quickly found the passage that was likely the catalyst for the crying.

With Paige still close to his chest, he moved toward the kitchen table. He directed her to sit down and handed her a paper towel while directing Ralph to get her a glass of water. The flow of her tears was starting to slow. Kneeling in front of her, he took her hands and put his forehead on hers. "Hey, don't you remember? I came back to the diner, we argued a few times, Ralph beat Sylvester at chess, I told you Ralph was a genius, and then we saved everybody."

Paige chuckled at his very concise but accurate description of the day.

Walter moved her hair from her face with one hand. "You never sent Ralph to any state school. I came to your apartment to offer you a job, you came to work with us, and we helped get Ralph into a better school. He's here and he's happy, and you are learning to connect with him."

Paige started to tear up again. "Walter, I think I would have. If I had not met you and the team that day, I would have given up. I would have sent my baby to that awful school."

Walter countered in a joking tone, "As a scientist, I wholly reject the notion of time travel, so I reject your statement because it can't be proven as fact."

Paige looked up at Walter, and could tell he thought he said something to make her feel better, so she smiled.

Ralph, bringing his mom the water and another paper towel, clarified, "Walter means that there is no such thing as time travel, so it's impossible to know what we would do in the future."

All three laughed.

Walter insisted that Paige stay seated for a few minutes and helped Ralph continue with dinner. The liaison, feeling better, quickly finished recording her thoughts so she could re-join the cooking with her two favorite people.

 _Though Ralph started college last semester, I did not let him help me with my homework. That just would have been too weird. Still, Ralph was so great about my being in school; he never complained about us spending less time together. He once told me, "Mom, my entire life, it's been just the two of us. If you calculate the time we have spent together already, I bet it's more than most other mothers and sons."_

 _Ralph means everything to me, I love him with every fiber of my being, and I would give anything to make sure he is happy, healthy, and safe. I would never stop him from spending time with members of the Cyclone, especially considering what the alternative could have been. However, with more people competing for Ralph's attention, people that can better relate to him, I don't think that we spend enough quality time together._

 _My gift to Ralph this summer is tickets to a series of special events designed around an interest we both have: cooking. The combining of ingredients to make dishes reminds Ralph of chemistry. I hope to start a tradition of pancake breakfast Sunday at home, just the two of us, and Ralph also helps with team dinners, and cooking at holidays._

 _I have arranged to spend a lot of time with Ralph this summer, I have passes to amusement parks, museums, and science exhibits. Also, I brought Ralph a book on molecular gastronomy. I don't expect Ralph to become a chef, but hopefully learning more about the scientific principles evident in food and cooking will cement this shared interest and turn it into something we can do together forever. I have also arranged for us to take a molecular gastronomy course, open to the public at the Culinary Arts Institute. Finally, I reached out to a former client, a food critic, and arranged for Ralph to meet, and cook with, Jose Andres. I arranged things with Drew, and with the Cyclone so that there would be no conflicts. I would never want my son to have to choose between spending time with any of the people that love him. Walter's right: there is no way to know what the future for Ralph and I would be without Scorpion, and thankfully I will never have to find out._

Paige, smiling and tear-free, joined Walter and her son at the stove to finish the chicken. She could sense Walter looking at her, and plans for their post-dinner celebration overwhelmed her thoughts. They both hoped that the team dinner wouldn't last too long.

 **END**

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES**

 **1\. First and foremost, I do not Scorpion or any of its characters. CBS owns Scorpion and all of its characters**

 **2\. Special thank you to my Betareader – Lookingforthestars**

 **3\. The school scene is not meant to be a political statement, I just needed to make the experience at the school really uncomfortable for Paige. Any resemblance to current events was not intentional.**

 **4\. I am rating this story (M) as a precaution only**

 **5\. This Chapter takes place on the same day as Chapter 2**

 **6\. This chapter was incredibly hard to write. I changed the structure a few times. I settled on having the journal entries and other reflections occur as part of the natural flow of Paige's day. This method flowed the best to me but I anxiously await your opinions.**

 **7\. There is a (Waige) teaser scene that I hope everyone enjoys (the official Waige makeup and Paige's reflection on Walter are still forthcoming)**

 **8\. Please review or let me know if you have any questions. Most importantly ENJOY!**


	4. Congragulations Graduate

**Graduation Day**

 **Chapter 4**

 **Congratulations Graduate**

Paige sat at the desk in Walter's loft wearing her silky red and black pajamas covered with a red robe. She was anxiously waiting for Walter to finish locking up downstairs. Her mind was reeling between anxiety about her grades and the indescribable anticipation of being with Walter. She turned on her boyfriend's laptop, but with her mind so preoccupied she couldn't remember the login information. Finally, after many long moments, she heard footsteps and the door opened.

"I've been waiting for you," Paige said seductively, turning the chair in the direction of the door to reveal her long legs.

"I-I-ummm, you l-lo-ok…"Walter loosened his tie, and tried to speak, but even summoning all the intellect of his 197 IQ, he was left speechless by the sight of his girlfriend.

When he finally regained the ability to function, Walter began stripping down to his boxers as he moved toward Paige. The intense look in his eyes made Paige shiver. Walter, without saying a word, stood behind her, moved her hair, and started to plant soft kisses on her neck and shoulders. She wanted to give in to him completely, but there was something she needed to do first.

"Walter," she called in a soft voice.

"Hmmm," Walter answered, continuing to gently suck on the base of her neck.

Paige's breath hitched as she asked in a low voice, "Can you p-pl-lease l-l-login to your com-com-puter, I ne-ed to, uummm—"

His lips against her skin almost made her forget about anything else, but she cleared her throat and continued, "I need to check my grades."

"If you keep rejecting my advances, I am going to start to take it personally," Walter said, smiling breathlessly.

Paige stood up from the chair. "Ten minutes and then I am all yours. Five if the wireless network that you built is any good."

That got the computer wiz's attention, and he took the seat vacated by Paige. Paige took a seat too…on his lap. Walter instinctively placed a hand around her waist, feeling for the belt of her robe and loosening it. When he finished entering his login, he reached to slide the robe off of her shoulders and flicked his tongue against the base of her neck. Paige stood to remove the robe completely, and repositioned herself so that she was straddling her boyfriend and facing him. She moved closer to him, her breasts covered only by a lacy silk camisole and pressing lightly against his chest. She pushed her lips lightly against his neck while running her fingers through his hair. Walter began to moan, but managed to continue with the task at hand.

After whispering her login information in Walter's ear, Paige began to feather kisses up and down his jawline and cheek before moving to his mouth. They continued making out, lips locked in messy open mouth kisses, until it was Walter's turn to stop things abruptly.

Walter stared at the screen for several minutes, flooded with thoughts of the beautiful woman sitting on his lap, tantalizing him. She was smart, tenacious, and hardworking. While handling a highly stressful job and raising a mentally enabled son, she still found time to go to school. This woman amazed him, and he wondered how someone so amazing could agree to be in a relationship with him.

"Walter, Walter, what does it say," Paige asked anxiously, bringing the genius from his thoughts.

Walter wanted to tell her all of the things that he was thinking. However, as he looked deep into her big brown eyes, all he could manage to say with an enormous proud grin on his face was, _"Congratulations Graduate."_

Paige's face instantly morphed into a wide smile as a trail of happy tears started to run down her face. Knowing her academic fate, Paige could finally focus all of her attention on her boyfriend. She didn't hesitate in pulling the genius into a deep kiss, both beginning to moan as their tongues intertwined. Paige gripped her legs tighter around his hips, and massaged her fingers deeply through his scalp before moving her soft hands to his shoulders and chest. Walter's hands went straight to Paige's lower back and bottom. Without breaking their passionate kisses, Walter slithered his hands under the thin band of her shorts.

Paige's smile alone could cause a certain physiological reaction in the genius, but when combined with her straddling his lap in silky boy shorts and the two enthusiastically exploring each other with their hands and mouth, the reaction was inevitable. Paige could feel Walter against her thigh, but did not stop kissing him or running her hands all over his body.

Paige and Walter finally broke apart, needing oxygen. Walter wordlessly moved to get up from the chair and head to the bed. He extended his arms to use the desk for leverage, but Paige moved his arms back to his side. Walter opened his mouth to insist that they move to the bed, but Paige captured his lips in a deep kiss.

Paige knew Walter, and knew that he wanted to get to the bed so that, like always, he could properly work her body to depths of pleasure she had never experienced before him. Even given his current state, he would want to make sure that she was satisfied first. However, Paige was determined to show Walter how much she appreciated him. The prospect of graduation flooded Paige's thoughts with moments since she joined Scorpion, and especially since they started dating, where Walter had shown more caring for her and Ralph than they had ever known. She could never repay him for all he'd done to her, but this one time, she was going to force him to put his needs above hers. Paige breathlessly whispered into Walter's ear, "It's okay to be selfish sometimes. Just relax."

Before Walter could react, Paige's soft hands were rubbing against the front of his boxer shorts. As she continued her activities, all he could do was snap his head back, close his eyes, and experience the pleasure of what Paige was doing to him. Paige reached into his boxers and fondled him with her hands, running them up and down the shaft. Walter moaned, "Paige, that feels so good. Please don't stop." She didn't, and those were the last audible words Walter was able to utter for a while. Walter was in a pleasurable daze, his body frozen, consumed by sensations that he had never felt before. When he was finally able to move, he could only get his hands as far as her upper thigh. He intended to caress her softly, but a sudden wave of pleasure caused him to grab hold of her tightly, digging his nails into her. Paige, sensing he was close, sped up her ministrations, and there was a second wave. Walter came down from his high, as he felt something liquid against his hand. Realizing what had happened, he started to move franticly to find something to clean them off with and looked up at Paige apologetically.

Paige wiped her hand on the previously discarded shirt Walter handed her, then cupped Walter's face and kissed him hard on the mouth. "Walter, it's okay, I knew that would happen. Did you enjoy it?"

Walter responded breathlessly, "I did enjoy that very much, but what about you?"

Paige never answered, she just smiled, moving her genius's hand to her camisole, encouraging him to remove it, and mumbling between kisses, "We should get cleaned up in the shower." Paige got off of Walter's lap and led him into the bathroom.

Once in the shower, Walter took total control. After turning on the water, he quickly trapped Paige against the shower wall, just staring at her for a minute while barely grazing her body with his fingertips. There was so much he wanted to say to her: she was beautiful, smart, great with Ralph, and he was privileged that despite all of his shortcomings, this woman would choose to be with him. Walter was determined to show Paige how amazing she was.

The look on Walter's face caused Paige's breath to hitch. Without warning, he cupped her face with his hands and pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss that they both felt through their entire bodies. They broke apart from the kiss and Walter proceeded to explore Paige's skin with his tongue and hands. Walter sucked hungrily on Paige's breasts, while holding her at the waist. As his lips moved lower, his hands found their way to her bottom. Encouraged by her physical and verbal reactions, Walter slowly started to caress her inner thigh.

"Walter, don't stop," Paige cried.

Walter knelt down and kissed her inner thigh and outer folds. Paige arched her body in response. She bit her lip and ran her hands through Walter's dark, curly hair, verbally encouraging him to go deeper. With Paige moaning his name, Walter slowly moved his fingers toward her wet center.

Walter had never done this before, but anatomy was a science. Acting only on instinct, Walter moved his hands in and out of her wet center as Paige continued to make indistinguishable sounds of pleasure. Walter followed the same path with his mouth and tongue. He found the spot he was looking for and attacked it hungrily. Paige rested her legs on his shoulders and he placed his arms around her to hold her in place. The unintelligible noises Paige was making and the way her toes curled into his back told Walter he was doing something right. He gripped her waist and pulled her closer to him. It was Paige's turn to be hit by a wave of pleasure. Walter extended the pleasure by gently flicking her with his tongue. Paige was digging into his shoulders now, crying out his name in sheer pleasure. A few minutes later, Walter's fingers were covered in moisture, and Paige began to come out of her haze. Walter slowly rose to his feet and kissed her hard on the mouth.

"Did you enjoy that?" Walter asked jokingly.

"I very much enjoyed it," Paige breathlessly replied.

The two continued to kiss passionately as they moved out of the shower and towards the bed, stopping only to towel off quickly. They spent the rest of night making love and expressing how they felt about each other in ways that words alone couldn't. Hours later, after they had more than made up for their three-week forced abstinence, Paige snuggled next to Walter with her head on his chest. Walter placed his arm around her and they drifted off into a contented sleep.

~~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~

The next morning, Paige stirred awake and found that she was alone in the bed. Walter left a note stating that he was going to Kovelsky's to pick up breakfast.

Paige's mind and body were still in aftershock from the night before. After getting a T-shirt from Walter's wardrobe, her journal, and her iPod, Paige just laid on the bed reflecting on Walter and the indescribable night they had just shared together. Paige recalled the very beginning of their romantic relationship the previous Christmas, and could not believe that the guy who worked her body into a frenzy multiple times last night was the same guy who _wasn't sure about the intimate part_.

 _A few days after Christmas, while Ralph was away visiting Drew, Walter was at her apartment setting up Ralph's presents from the Cyclone: a computer system and new TV for his room. Walter doing something so thoughtful for Ralph, while wearing jeans and a t-shirt that accentuated his surprisingly toned body, lead Paige to the decision that it was time to have another discussion about their relationship._

 _"_ _Thank you for installing Ralph's presents in his room, I am sure that he will love them," Paige stated while stirring a pot in the kitchen._

 _"_ _It was no problem. Everything is all set up now, so I will get going. I can see myself out," Walter deadpanned._

 _Paige was confused at Walter's demeanor, but managed to recover in time to catch his attention by calling his name. "Walter"_

 _As Walter turned around, she was moving toward him, and asked in a soft voice, "Please stay for dinner, it's the least I can do to thank you for everything you did for Ralph today."_

 _When Walter was silent for too long, Paige added in her more authoritative voice, "Walter, it is extremely rude not to accept an expression of gratitude without a valid reason. Unless you have something you need to do, you should stay for dinner."_

 _Walter did not stop to question this statement of social etiquette from his company's emotional liaison, and immediately agreed to stay for dinner, which included spaghetti and meatballs (with Paige's homemade sauce), salad, and garlic bread. During dinner, Walter started to relax more, and they enjoyed each other's company for hours: there was mindless conversation, smiling, laughing, and gazing at each other. Dinner continued through nightfall. Rather than turn on the bright apartment lights, they set out a few candles, finished dinner and had dessert, the last of Paige's homemade Christmas cookies with ice cream._

 _After dinner and cleaning up, Paige and Walter went to the living room to talk, him on the couch and her in the arm chair._

 _Paige sighed and thought to herself, it's now or never. "Walter, did you enjoy having dinner with me and, you know, talking about non-work-related things?"_

 _"_ _Yes, the evening was very enjoyable and the food was delicious as expected."_

 _"_ _Is it something you would want to do on a regular basis?" Paige asked as she watched Walter's face contort into the look he got when he couldn't figure something out. Paige re-stated more bluntly, "Walter, I think you know that over the past few months our relationship has become confusing, so I think we need to discuss changing the status of our personal relationship."_

 _Walter just looked at her for a minute while collecting his thoughts, and after letting out a heavy sigh, he said, "Paige, over the last few months, I have also thought about the parameters of our relationship. After the incident on the train, I realized that you and Ralph were more important to me than Scorpion. Last month, on that train, I would have died to save you two, and I know I promised to be selfish, but I can't say that I wouldn't do it again." Walter sat down next to the liaison and continued, "Paige, if I am willing to die for you, even though there is a good chance Scorpion couldn't survive without me, then the logic of avoiding my feelings for you for the good of Scorpion fails."_

 _Paige moved closer to him, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "So you changed your mind about us entering into a relationship. Why didn't you say something?"_

 _"_ _Because there were other variables that I had not considered initially in my analysis," Walter stated in a matter-of-fact tone._

 _Paige was more frustrated now. "Walter, emotions and relationships can't always be analyzed like a formula. I know you know that because we talked about it and geniuses never forget. So please just talk to me honestly about what you're thinking."_

 _Walter sighed again before looking Paige in the eyes. "Okay. I will try. Paige, I never actually thought about what being in a relationship entailed. The emotional demands of a relationship would be a lot to adjust to, but I believe that with time and…patience…I can meet these demands. However, there are other expectations of relationships that I am not sure about."_

 _Paige still looked confused, so Walter continued, "…expectations regarding being intimate. I mean, I would probably be okay with kissing, but the other things, I have never really tried…I mean all my other experiences were about, uuuhhh, my needs. I am not sure I would know how to uhhh…." Walter stood up and ran his hand down his face, "…I'm not sure I could please a woman in an intimate setting."_

 _Paige's face was flushed now, but still she managed to joke, "First of all, what kind of girl do you think I am, Walter O'Brien? If we were to start dating, do you know how long you would have to wait before you had to worry about an intimate setting? Second, no guy really knows how to please a woman."_

 _Seeing the smile on her face as she talked, Walter deduced that she was attempting humor and chuckled._

 _Paige motioned for him to sit down next to her and placed her hands over his. "Do you remember on the day we met, when we getting ready to get into the Ferrari to drive 200 mph under a moving plane? You asked me to trust you and I did. Even though I didn't understand everything about your plan, you were sure, and I trusted that." Paige cupped his chin, forcing him to look at her. "I know you don't understand everything about romantic relationships, but I am asking you to trust me when I say that you and I can have a successful one. Walter, you may not believe love exists, but you prove every single day how much you care about me and Ralph. You risk your life to protect us, you always make time for Ralph, you are making great progress emotionally—."_

 _Walter interrupted her by moving a strand of hair behind her ear and saying softly, "I would do just about anything to see you smile and I really do like talking to you."_

 _Paige was teary eyed with a wide grin. "You've been so supportive of me being in school," she said, looking him straight in the eye. "I know you know that neither one of us were truthful in reporting the results of our experiment. I understand that this is new for you and I am willing to be patient, especially with the intimacy. I won't ever ask you to do anything you are not comfortable with." Paige sighed. "Walter, what I'm trying to say is that I believe we could make this work."_

 _She looked at Walter expectantly as he gathered his thoughts and spoke in a low nervous tone. "Paige, when you leave the garage at night, I miss your presence instantly. I am consumed by dreams of you lying next to me at night, where I can protect you, and sometimes they are so real that I am disappointed when I wake up and realize I was only dreaming, I am willing to do whatever I can to make life better and safer for you and Ralph, and I calendared holidays in my phone." Walter sighed. "Paige, I don't know if I am equipped to be in a relationship, but for you, I am willing to try. Only if you promise that you will tell me immediately if you are not happy or if I do something wrong, or—."_

 _Paige interrupted his rambling by kissing him on the cheek. Walter and Paige spent just about every night through New Year's together because Ralph was visiting Drew. On New Year's Eve, at midnight, Walter and Paige shared their first real kiss. After that kiss, neither worried about the intimate part again, knowing that when the time was right, things would work out._

As Paige returned to the present, her cheeks were flushed, and she was warm. As she got up to grab some water from the kitchen, she saw her discarded pajamas on the floor. She leaned against the counter with a wide smile, remembering the first time that she wore them on Valentine's Day, which turned out to be a very interesting night.

 _For almost a year, in between their cases with Homeland, Walter and the team had been consulting on a project overhauling the entire computer network infrastructure for a ski resort in Northern California. Most of the work was done from the garage in Los Angeles, but the client had requested the team on site from February 5th to February 11th to finalize the components Scorpion had been working on. Since this was a pretty technical job and the client was a pragmatic tech guru who wasn't put off by the team's usual demeanor, Paige stayed behind to catch up on some schoolwork. However, there were some problems with the project, requiring the team to stay another week._

 _Walter did not really believe in holidays, but he was looking forward to spending Valentine's Day weekend with Paige and Ralph. The client was so impressed with the team's work that he agreed to fly Paige and Ralph to the ski resort where the team had been staying. He even gave Walter extra money to buy whatever his guests needed from the resort's many shops. On the 13_ _th_ _, around noon, Paige and Ralph arrived by helicopter. Walter, Sylvester, and Happy were busy, so Toby met Paige and Ralph at the private airfield._

 _"_ _Ms. Dineen, Ralph, welcome to Shangri-La," Toby said with a laugh in his voice before handing each of them a coat._

 _"_ _Thank you Toby. I told Walter that we could celebrate when he was back in LA, but he sounded so excited for us to come up here. I'm kind of glad, Ralph has never been skiing and it is beautiful here."_

 _"_ _Oh, I can tell you for sure that Mr. 197 definitely could not wait until we were back in LA to celebrate Valentine's Day with you," Toby said with a hint of sarcasm. Paige picked up on it and directed Ralph to get into the waiting car before grilling the team behaviorist._

 _"_ _Okay Toby, spill it."_

 _"_ _Let's just say I've been analyzing 197's behavior over the last few days and I think that he has a pretty special celebration planned. And it's about time too, if you ask me."_

 _Paige, catching the meaning of the behaviorist's comments, immediately became defensive. "Don't be silly, Walter and I haven't even talked about…I mean, you know Walter, he wouldn't really plan something like that."_

 _"_ _Deny if you want to, but yesterday, once you confirmed you were coming, Walter left to run an errand. He came back a few hours later extremely secretive about where he'd been. This errand must have caused him to be preoccupied because he did not bother to erase his GPS trail, and Sylvester was easily able to determine that Walter had driven to a umm…lingerie shop and then a flower shop. Also, even though there is plenty of room in our suite, Walter reserved another suite in the resort, something about your needing quiet to study."_

 _You could have knocked Paige over with a feather. As they got into the car, Paige just sat with a contemplative look on her face._

 _Toby, sensing his services were required, sprung into action. "Okay Ms. Emotional Liaison, care to….emote?" he asked._

 _Paige, checking to make sure Ralph was playing his game with the noise cancelling headphones, responded, "Toby, what did you mean when you said it's about time?"_

 _Toby smiled. "Paige, it doesn't take a genius psychologist to see how close you and Walter have become, but since I am one, here's what I've noticed. You two are always looking for excuses to be near each other at the office. His coming to your desk to ask you if you've filed certain forms, or you going to the loft to confirm information unnecessarily. Also, the cooking—the reason no one else helps is because you two are in your own private world in the kitchen. Over the last few weeks, Walter has returned from 'walking you to your car' with a goofy grin on his face and his shirt slightly ruffled like someone has been, ahem, grabbing at it. I know you've noticed the way our genius stares at you and smiles; I'd guess someone's being mentally undressed. You two are showing all of the markers of wanting to be as close to each other as possible, I mean the office practically reeks of pheromones when the two of you are together."_

 _Paige, feeling exposed, pulled her coat closed. Toby's observations made Paige think about how passionate and intense the couple's goodnight kisses had become. Still, Paige did not think they were anywhere near this stage of their relationship. She did not want Walter to do something because he thought she would expect it. She was very attracted to Walter, and sometimes just looking at him caused her body to react, but she had meant it when she said she would do things at a pace he was comfortable with._

 _Walter was still working when they arrived at the resort, so Toby got Paige and Ralph settled into the suite. Toby and Paige were both shocked to find a bouquet of roses on the mantle above the fireplace with a note, "Paige, sorry that I have to work and could not meet you. I should be done soon and arranged to have the entire day off tomorrow, unless there is some emergency that I absolutely cannot avoid."_

 _Toby shook his head. "He is a silver-tongued devil, isn't he?"_

 _Paige just smiled. The note was….practical, but that was Walter, and, regardless, he thought to get her flowers._

 _Next to the flowers was an envelope with information about the resort and the card Paige could use for shopping and anything else she wanted to do. Toby offered to take Ralph, who had been incessantly inquiring about the team's work, while she explored the resort._

 _Paige made the most of her alone time with what was, for lack of a better word, an all-access pass. In addition to shopping, she stopped by the spa and salon. She was even able to have the things she picked out for Ralph sent directly to the team's suite; she had arranged for him to spend the night there because she had a special night planned._

 _While she was out shopping, Walter called to ask her if she would agree to have dinner with him. She immediately accepted. Walter wanted to take her to one of the resort's many restaurants, but Paige thought it would better if they had dinner in her suite where there would be more privacy for them to talk. She was excited to shop for a fancy dress, some high heels, and other necessities for her dinner with Walter._

 _Paige was extremely anxious to see her boyfriend, especially after her conversation with Toby. She wondered if she should say anything to Walter about this conversation—she knew he must have been experiencing a lot of confusion emotionally, but at the same time, this was a decision he had to make on his own. She tried to put it out of her mind while she spent the rest of the afternoon preparing for their romantic dinner._

 _At 7pm sharp, there were three solid knocks at the suite door. Though it had been eight days since the couple had seen each other, both intended to be restrained. However, before she could even say hello, Walter's intense gaze had enticed Paige's lips, Paige's kiss caused Walter's hands to settle at Paige's waist, and in seconds the two were locked in a heated kiss. Walter pushed Paige back into the suite before kicking the door shut and trapping her against the door and dropping the bag that he was holding. The two continued kissing passionately until oxygen became absolutely necessary. Walter breathlessly joked, "You never said hello. I thought people used greetings when addressing each other."_

 _"_ _Hello Walter," Paige chuckled, her forehead still touching his, "I missed you."_

 _Walter removed his forehead from Paige's but remained close enough to hold her tightly at the waist. "Paige, I'm, ummm, sorry that I w-was working all day today. Thank you for agreeing to have dinner with me, I did very much want to see you." Walter noticeably scanned her body with his eyes before adding, "Also, you l-look beautiful."_

 _Paige mumbled, "You're forgiven and thank you" before brushing a light kiss against Walter's lips._

 _Walter immediately deepened the kiss. The two were locked in another moment of passion when there was a second knock at the door, causing Paige to jump. She pushed Walter away so that she could open the door. While her back was turned, Walter tried to discreetly pick up the bag he dropped and hide it._

 _The two enjoyed the candlelight dinner, continuing to gaze lovingly at each other in between conversation about a wide variety of topics. They also got more comfortable as Paige took off her high heels and Walter removed his tuxedo jacket._

 _"_ _Walter, can I ask you a favor?" Paige asked softly once they were done eating._

 _"_ _Anything," Walter answered, never breaking her gaze or moving his fingers from hers._

 _"_ _Will you dance with me, please?"_

 _Walter really didn't like music and hated dancing, but Paige looked amazing in her dress and dancing would mean being able to hold her. However, the proximity to Paige could be problematic given his internal conflict about taking their relationship to the next level. Paige was staring at him expectantly with her piercing brown eyes. He just couldn't say no to her. "Ummm…yeah…okay," Walter answered nervously._

 _Paige found one her favorite artists, Norah Jones, on her iPod, and joined Walter in the living room area. His left hand was intertwined with hers and his right hand was at the small of her back. The song started to play and the couple swayed to the music. The quick pecks and kisses the couple shared became increasingly more passionate, and hands began to migrate as the music continued. Eventually, they stopped dancing and just stood in the middle of the living room passionately kissing and grabbing at each other for the third time that evening. As Paige's lips began to travel down Walter's jaw towards his neck, he pulled away suddenly._

 _"_ _Paige…c-can w-we uummm t-talk, please," he asked nervously as he moved toward the couch._

 _"_ _Sure," Paige responded, slightly breathless as she moved to join him._

 _Walter sat silently thinking and looking at Paige. There must be something wrong with him. She was beautiful, what kind of guy would hesitate…? What would she think? Would she feel that she was unattractive and that it was her fault? How could he tell her? He couldn't tell her._

 _"_ _Paige, I'm uhh, I'm really sorry but I think I have to go," Walter stated quickly as he moved to get his jacket._

 _Paige sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. "Walter," Paige called as she moved to stop him. "Walter." She grabbed both of his hands and slowly grazed her thumbs over his knuckles. "I won't stop you if you want to go, but I really wish you would stay and talk to me about whatever is bothering you."_

 _Walter still wasn't sure, but something about her touch steadied him. He took a few deep breaths before leading Paige back to the couch._

 _"_ _Paige, I-I've been umm," Walter let out a deep sigh, "I've been thinking about o-our relationship. I've been thinking about maybe taking our relationship to the next level," Walter said without taking a breath, but at least it was out._

 _Paige scooted closer to Walter and looked him in his eyes. She could see the vulnerability and uncertainty in his eyes. Her genius boyfriend, who was always so in control, sure was being really honest in this moment, and she owed him the same courtesy. She knew what she had to do._

 _Paige's eyes never left his as she covered his hands with hers and sighed. "Walter, I need to tell you something. Toby and I talked on the way up here from the airfield. He mentioned that this was something you may have been thinking about."_

 _Walter's demeanor immediately shifted and he tore away from her grasp with his fists clenched. Paige motioned for Walter to sit back down, and cupped his chin forcing him to look at her. "Forget about Toby right now. The point is, I've had some time to think about this, and to be honest, you are incredibly handsome, and you treat me and Ralph better than anyone ever has, and the feeling I get when you kiss me is indescribable, so yes I do think about what it would be like to take things further, but," Paige sighed and made sure to look him in the eye, "I meant what I said, I will wait until you are ready Walter, and I am not going anywhere."_

 _Walter closed the small space that existed between them so that he could kiss her cheek. They just sat there, impossibly close, fingers intertwined, gazing at each other for many minutes before Walter found his thoughts and spoke in a soft and nervous voice, "Paige, I som-sometimes dream about what it would be like to be closer to you, to be able to hold you, and uhhh…engage in uhh, intercourse with you. I always remember these dreams in vivid detail the next day. It's not just the physical release like with my other girlfriends, in the dream it felt, I felt, different. When we were in LA, I could see you and kiss you and I would be okay, but being here without you, the dreams just became more intense, more real. I tried to rationalize the dreams, and I thought maybe that was my mind's way of telling me that I was ready to take our relationship to that level. Now, I'm not so sure…"_

 _Paige wanted to interject, but thought it was best to just let her boyfriend continue to express himself, so she just moved their intertwined hands to her lips, silently encouraging him to continue._

 _"…_ _It's just that it's never been emotional for me and I'm still not sure I would know what to do to make it enjoyable for you. I tried to research it but there are no clear guidelines for what to do. Even Masters and Johnson isn't sufficient and it's the most comprehensive analysis of this topic."_

 _For any other couple, talking about this in such matter-of-fact and clinical terms would kill the mood, but Walter was different, and Paige knew that. Plus, Paige found the fact that he would spend so much time and energy trying to make sure this experience was pleasurable for her was incredibly romantic. Walter worked hard to explain his thoughts in her language of emotions. It was her turn to answer using his language: science._

 _Paige started to move her hands to his chest. "Walter, what if empirical evidence supported the conclusion that there are no clear guidelines because every woman is different? How would you determine conclusively what would be enjoyable for a specific woman?" She continued in a more seductive tone, "For example, how would you determine conclusively what would be enjoyable for me?"_

 _Walter, speaking in a language he understood, better than almost anyone, was quick to answer in a factual tone, "Well, you would need to develop a series of experiments to see how you react to various sexual stimuli. You would need to measure the responses in some way. The most pleasing responses would obviously be things you enjoy."_

 _"_ _Okay, then let's do that," Paige responded quickly_

 _Walter looked confused so Paige explained seductively as she starting to slide off his tie, "We'll consider tonight a series of experiments; that way you will know for next time exactly what I like and don't like, and I will also know the same about you. Also, you will be able to determine how you handle any new emotions. Would that make you more comfortable?"_

 _Walter didn't answer right away. He was just too stunned, floored that this beautiful woman who he was starting to fall in love with actually understood him. He wasn't sure exactly what he was getting himself into, but this structure for this evening did actually make him more comfortable because there was no pressure to know what to do. He finally responded with a smile, getting more into the seductive spirit of things. "How would we measure the responses, exactly?"_

 _Paige laughed as she brought her lips to his ears and her hands to the back of his neck. "You will know when I like something, trust me." Paige lightly kissed his lips before continuing, "Are there any further questions or should we get started?"_

 _Walter lightly kissed Paige back and joked, "I think I understand the parameters and am ready to proceed."_

 _Paige looked him in the eyes and started undoing his buttons and running her hands up and down his chest. "Two rules. First, if there is something one of us absolutely does not want to try, then we won't. Second, since this was my idea I get to go first…so, for our first experiment, I would like to test how you respond to seeing me in whatever is in that lingerie store gift bag hiding behind the couch."_

 _Walter gulped as Paige got up to retrieve the bag "I, uhh, I…y-you don't have to put it on. I read s-some articles that s-suggested buying ling-ling-erie for this occ-asion, but you d-don't need to wear it."_

 _Paige anxiously opened the box, and was surprised to find a tasteful silky ensemble of boy shorts, a lacy camisole, and a robe._

 _Walter stammers in explaining, "I fi-figured th-those we-re, uhh, items y-you w-would be comfortable in."_

 _Paige kissed him hard—the fact that he would think of her comfort in buying lingerie made her desire the man sitting in front of her intensely. Tonight was going to be unlike anything she had ever experienced, but she was definitely looking forward to it. "Okay so, I am going to go change, and you can meet me in the bedroom in twenty minutes."_

 _Walter looked confused so Paige leaned over and seductively whispered the reason for the twenty minute delay in his ear and asked him how a genius scientist would explain it._

 _He smiled. "Pre-exposing the subject to the stimuli before the experiment could contaminate the results."_

 _After another few chaste kisses, Paige managed to tear herself away from Walter to go to the bedroom. As instructed, Walter knocked on the door twenty minutes later and the new couple shared a night that they would never forget. They actually kept up the experiments for a while before things devolved into a night of passionate lovemaking. There were no complaints._

Paige smiled as the memory faded and she returned to the bed to write in her journal.

 _What can I say about the man who completely changed my life? Walter gave me my son back, revealing to me that he was a genius and helping me connect with him. I can't imagine what my relationship with Ralph would be like without him. For this alone, I will always be eternally grateful to Walter._

 _I am also grateful for the relationship that Walter has with Ralph. Ralph is my number one priority. I am so grateful to have found a guy who also makes Ralph his number one priority. Those two may not be related biologically, but they share a bond that cannot be broken. He does not just tolerate Ralph or put up with him because it's a condition of dating me; those two genuinely love each other. I swear, there are times when Walter comes over for dates, and I am not sure if he is happier to see me or Ralph. I've even had to chastise Ralph about talking to Walter, even casually, about things that he wants because if there's anything Ralph needs or wants, and Walter can get it for him, he will. Thankfully Walter won't get Ralph anything without my approval or there would be a 10-year-old boy with a programmable model drone helicopter in LA. Walter and Ralph not only talk about genius things, but I have heard Walter talking to Ralph about normal parental things, like being responsible and always trying his best no matter what. As the relationship between Walter and I progresses, he will make a great father figure for Ralph, and if we decide to have children, I am sure that he will be a great father._

 _The relationship between Walter and I is anything but conventional but it is so great. The entire time that I have known Walter, and especially now that we are dating, Walter proves everyday how much he cares for me. No one has ever treated Ralph and I so well. Walter does whatever he can to satisfy my needs. If it's something he can buy, it's pretty much a done deal the second I mention it. For example, the new microwave that showed up at my apartment after I was late to work because mine stopped working. Even before we were dating, I'd given up trying to help pay for the many outings that we would have—it was just a given that Walter would pay._

 _With regard to school, Walter was always extremely supportive. Ralph regularly stayed with him at the garage so that I did not have to worry about him and could focus on studying. Though I like to think that deep down Ralph missed me, I know he enjoyed being with Walter and didn't give my absence a second thought. He also helped me with some of my science courses, and we got to spend a lot of quality time on the roof "studying" for my astronomy class. Walter, with Ralph's help, wrote me a special voice-activated typing program. Apparently, the various commercial formats available had flaws and did not maximize efficiency which was not acceptable._

 _Walter always claims that he is bad with emotions, but he is better than he thinks. I mentioned to Walter how humiliating it felt whenever I called Drew and he didn't answer, or worse when some other woman would answer and tell me I had the wrong number, only for Drew to immediately call back saying that he was just thinking of me, an obvious lie. After that, Walter made sure to answer the phone when I called and always responds to my text messages. He also assured me that he doesn't like other people using his phone, so no one else would ever answer but him. (He missed the point of that part completely, but the last thing I worry about with Walter is infidelity so it's fine.) I told Walter about how Ralph and I once got evicted and had to walk for blocks with nowhere to go, until I got the job at Kovelsky's and was able to stay at a motel. Later that night, Walter came to my apartment and gave me keys to the garage. He said that even though we had agreed to be friends and colleagues, he wanted me to know that Ralph and I were part of his Cyclone and there was always a place for us at the garage._

 _The thing I appreciate most about Walter is his honesty. With the past that I've had, it is such a relief to know that Walter would never lie to me—it's an effect of the way his mind works. He only states facts, as he says. Still, Walter is not always forthcoming about his feelings. I can normally drag them out of him, but I wish he was more forthcoming on his own. I think there are two reasons that he does not express his feelings. The first is that he has trouble communicating them. We are working on this, and hopefully as we move forward this will be less of an issue. Second, I think that for some reason Walter feels like his needs are less important than mine. It's true that as a genius, some of Walter's needs may be esoteric, but I don't want Walter to feel like he has to change for me. I need to get him to understand that his genius is not a deficiency. I love him just the way he is, and if he has needs that I am not meeting, he should tell me._

Paige's eyes widened at the sentence she just wrote. It's the first time the thought had formed cohesively in her mind. A single trail of happy tears started to fall as she further contemplated the thought.

 _I do love Walter. He is the love of my life and my soulmate. I cannot imagine waking up and not being adored, protected, and cared for by this amazing man. I know that he would not describe our relationship that way, but that's okay. Most men say they love you, but don't show it through their actions. Walter shows me every day that he loves me, whether he ever says it or not._

 _For Walter's gift, I had to get creative. Walter does not really like things; anything he wants or needs he can buy for himself. I know that Walter loves my voice, so I knew I wanted to sing a song for him. I chose the song Amazed by Lonestar, because Walter amazes me every day as a man who will risk his life to save others, as a boyfriend who will do almost anything to make me happy, and as a father figure for my son._

All of the fond relationship memories and reflections caused Paige's insides to begin to pulsate. Thankfully, she could hear Walter coming up the stairs with breakfast. Paige met Walter at the bedroom door with a searing kiss. He didn't question as she started to undress him and lead him to the bed. Breakfast would just have to wait.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AUTHOR'S NOTES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Scorpion or its characters, CBS owns Scorpion and its characters**

 **Betareader:** A special thank you my betareader: lookingforthestars. This chapter was not my best and needed a lot of editing so my sincerest appreciation to you.

 **Waige/M Rating:** If you are a Waige fan this chapter is for you. It also pushes the limits of the M Rating so fair warning.

 **I know that the Scorpion fandom spans the globe, so for those living in areas affected by recent terrorist attacks, or marred by violence in general, please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.**

 **Chapter Soundtrack: Over the past two weeks, my grandfather has been in the hospital, today was the first day there was some positive progress. As you can imagine, I was not in a very romantic mood for writing this chapter. However, with a basic outline, and some music, I was able to finish it. I just wanted to include some of the songs in case people were interested: Nearness of You and Turn Me On (Norah Jones), Make You Feel My Love (Adele), I've Got You Under My Skin (Chris Botti Feat. Katharine McPhee), Secret Garden (Quincy Jones), Breakfast Can Wait (Artist Formerly known as Prince), and Body Party (Ciara).**

 **Please Enjoy, Favorite, and Review. I am anxious to hear what everyone thinks of this chapter.**


	5. Chapter Five:Family - Part One

**Here is the next installment to Graduation Day. This is Part One of the team's reflections on their gifts for Paige. Most of the events of this chapter take place on May 13th, at the same time Paige is at the beach reflecting on her gifts for the team.**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Graduation Day – Chapter Five

Family – Part One

Toby hopped into his classic, blue Monte Carlo without even opening the door, starting it and turning on his favorite classic rock station. His commute ritual was briefly interrupted by the buzzing of his phone. At the next red light, Toby took a look at the calendar notification reminding him of Paige's graduation, in four days, on May 17.

The geniuses were not sentimental people; with low emotional quotient, being sentimental was extremely difficult for the group. However, they had all decided to try to come up with thoughtful gifts to celebrate their team liaison's graduation. Paige had been a member of the team for almost two years, and in that time, she had helped Scorpion grow as a company and each of the team members grow emotionally. The team decided that trying to tap into their emotional side to come up with gifts was a great way to celebrate her academic achievements and show how much of an impact she had made at Scorpion.

Toby had gotten nowhere in coming up with a gift. Apparently Happy and Cabe had their gifts picked out, Sylvester and Ralph were working together on an interesting project, and even Walter was working on something special. Toby, the one among the geniuses who was supposed to understand humans the most, was nowhere. He would have to continue thinking of his gift later, because he'd already arrived at work.

As usual, there was no one in the garage yet. He turned on his desk radio and began reading some medical journals. Just then, a gambling website popped up on Toby's computer. Toby had been fighting a gambling addiction since he was a teenager. Scorpion helped some with controlling his urges by keeping his mind occupied, and he knew the team counted on him. At that moment, though, Happy had slipped in quietly, assuming he was busy, and Walter was still in his loft. Toby is about to log into the website when the garage door opened and the team liaison and her eleven-year-old son bounded excitedly into the garage.

Ralph, running right up to Toby, said, "Good morning, Toby. What are you working on?"

Toby quickly closed the gambling website, not wanting the young genius to see it, and answered, "Oh, just checking my email. Nothing important. Where's your mom?"

Ralph turned and pointed to Paige at her desk. "She's here." The young genius quickly changed the subject. "Toby, you're coming to team dinner tonight, right? Mom and I are cooking chicken piccata."

Toby, slightly pre-occupied with Paige's odd behavior, answered with a smile and touched the boy's shoulder. "Of course, I wouldn't miss it, especially if you and your mom are cooking."

Toby and Ralph conversed a little longer before Ralph migrated over to Happy to say hello and discuss her latest project. Toby noticed the time and summoned the boy to get ready for school. Toby stopped at Paige's desk and jarred the woman from her thoughts. "Paige, isn't it about time for Ralph to get to school?"

Paige looked around as if coming out of a daze. "Oh my God." She stood quickly, yelling across the garage, "Ralph, sweetie, it's time for school. Two more minutes, okay?"

Toby interjected, "Paige, Ralph is ready and by the door. Are you okay?"

Paige ran her hand through her hair and cleared her throat. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for getting Ralph ready. I should get him to school." She was clearly frazzled as she searched for her keys and purse, which were right in front of her on her desk.

Toby, sensing something was wrong, offered to take Ralph to school. Ralph overheard and a wide smile covered his face. Paige knew it was a thrill for Ralph to arrive at school in the team van, in Walter's Datsun, or in Toby's Monte Carlo. Paige agreed, reminding Toby to walk the boy all the way into the building. Ralph asked if there was a riddle from Walter, but Toby explained that Walter has been working in the loft and didn't get a chance to create one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GRADUATION DAY~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Toby returned to the garage about half an hour later to find the team liaison still staring blankly at her paperwork. She didn't even acknowledge his presence as he entered the garage. Toby went to his desk and considered Paige's strange behavior that morning: failing to say good morning when she had impressed on the team how important greetings were, not keeping track of the time for Ralph to get to school, and her overall frazzled and distracted demeanor. Toby figured that his boss and best friend, Mr. 197, had probably done something to upset his new girlfriend. Walter wasn't exactly knowledgeable in the ways of dating, Toby thought, chuckling to himself. Normally he would tease Walter incessantly about his romantic troubles, but the behaviorist has other, more important things on his mind. Toby had been stuck on his gift for Paige's graduation. Since the team didn't have a case and he really did not have anything else to do, this was the perfect time to give some serious thought to the task. He leaned back in his chair, juggling his hat in his hands, thinking. _**He was so focused on his thoughts that he didn't even flinch at the crashing sound when Happy dropped one of the tools she was using. He was also oblivious to the sound of the garage door closing as Paige left for the day, unable to concentrate because of the anxiety over her grades.**_

As a genius, Toby could replay every moment of his life in his mind. He focused on the ones since he met Paige. He chuckled, recalling how he planned to ask Paige out on that first day, drawing a glare and verbal warning from Walter. He frowned thinking about those first few cases when he, along with all of the other geniuses, questioned Paige's worth to the team.

Toby thought about the positive effect that Paige had on the team, not only through her work on their cases and as office manager, but how she helped each of them become more human by connecting to other people. However, before she could help the team connect to others, she helped them connect to each other. The emotional liaison brought the team together and made them more of a family. In essence, she turned a group of Scorpions into a Cyclone.

To Toby, family means stability and the stability of family was something that Toby never knew. His mother suffered from mental illness, bipolar disorder, and his father struggled to cope with his mother's illness. His father's coping mechanism was gambling, even on holidays. Toby remembered accompanying his addicted father to off-track betting or to play cards at a local bar.

Toby furrowed his brow. There it was, his entire life planned out in his childhood–a genius psychiatrist with a gambling addiction. He was born a genius, meaning that he already had a myriad of issues that would make it hard for him to adapt in the world. Addiction is hereditary, and he practically learned the tricks of the trade at his father's feet, so statistically he was likely to suffer from addiction. He studied psychiatry in an attempt to understand and someday help his mother and people like her.

Even after meeting Walter and joining Scorpion, his life still continued on the same path. He was a brilliant psychiatrist who occasionally functioned in a genius think tank; he was also an addict who regularly lost the firm's modest profits at all-night poker games. As a matter of fact, he had been chased back to the garage by loan sharks on the very morning that he met Paige. He liked Walter, Happy, and Sylvester, but they had never demanded that he change or driven him to want to. They didn't have a strong emotional connection, even to each other.

Things changed when Paige and Ralph became a part of Scorpion. Paige's job was to help the geniuses connect emotionally with the world and as a team. There were dinners, holiday celebrations, and, of course, helping Ralph. The team wanted to give Ralph something they never had: support and stability. This desire was why they built him a Christmas gift, went to his Halloween Party, and scrutinized his "bio dad". Toby saw creating stability for Ralph as a priority, because that would give him a chance at a more normal life than he had.

The stability that Paige created and the desire to create the same environment for Ralph helped Toby tremendously. Stability was the antithesis of addiction. Toby still gambled, but these days, he limited his bets mostly to things around the garage. He visited the occasional online poker site, but he was getting better.

Toby smiled–now he was getting somewhere. He needed to find a gift to thank Paige for bringing a sense of family to Scorpion and for how this was helping him to overcome his addiction. Toby remembered reading about an item sometimes used to help with meditation that may suit his purposes – a gomboc. It had one stable and one unstable equilibrium point. Toby wasn't an expert in the design, but from what he read, the beauty of this item was that no matter how the object was manipulated, it was supposed to return to its only stable point of equilibrium. Toby thought that this was the perfect metaphor for Paige and Scorpion because no matter what the team went through she helped to keep them stable. He methodically typed the word into his computer and, bringing up the website, noticed that the aesthetics of the object would also please the artistic side of Paige. The object wasn't easily available in L.A., though, so he would need to reach out to contacts to have one sent from overseas.

Toby's planning was interrupted by the buzzing of the office phone. It continued to ring, prompting Toby to notice, for the first time, that the team's office manager and emotional liaison was not at her desk. He assumed that she was in the loft with Walter, and now had the time to tease the new couple. "I hate to interrupt whatever activities you and the team liaison are engaged in, but the phone is ringing off the hook, and it's lunchtime." Though Toby and the other geniuses were ambivalent toward the meal breaks at first, they had become part of the routine at the garage.

Walter texted back, in a matter-of-fact tone, "Paige is not here, she is out for the day. We are on our own for lunch and the machine can record messages for Paige to handle tomorrow."

Well that was fun, Toby thought. While Toby was texting with Walter, he heard the message in the background, "Hey, this is Ken, for Happy Quinn. I tried to call you on your cell, you can stop by anytime."

Toby didn't know what to think of the message…who was Ken? Stop by where? For what? Regardless, Toby was sure Happy would want to know about it, so it was his duty as her friend, colleague, love interest, whatever to give her the message. He went to her work station right away to deliver the message in person. "Hey Happy, your boyfriend called, said you can stop by anytime."

The mechanical genius glared at Toby before returning to her work without saying a word. "I'm serious," Toby continued, "there's a message from Ken, saying that you can stop by anytime."

At the mention of Ken, Happy's eyes widened. "Did Paige hear the message?"

Toby, now curious about what any of this had to do with Paige, was quick to reply, "No. Paige is out of the office today and won't be back until team dinner tonight. By the way, we are on our own for lunch."

Happy stopped working and pulled out her cell phone to make a call. "Hey Ken…is everything ready?...So, I can come now? Yes, I'll bring someone to help load the truck...Perfect, I'll be there in half an hour."

Happy grabbed the keys to her truck and wordlessly motioned for the behaviorist to join her.

~~~~~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~~~~~~~

"Slate countertops," Toby exclaimed from the passenger seat of the truck.

"Yes. I brought you because all of the other workers are out on deliveries and Ken is alone at the store right now."

"So explain to me the concept of this gift again."

Happy sighed. "First of all, slate countertops are a better surface for cooking than the ones that we have now. Since we didn't really cook before and Paige does now, I figured this would be a good way to show Paige that I value her contribution to Scorpion. Also, what's the figurative saying normals use…a clean slate?"

"What do you have to apologize to Paige for?"

Happy continued, "After Walter was on the cliff last year, I was really angry at Paige. I saw her at the garage over the summer, and I may have…kind of…yelled at her. I told her that Scorpion was more than just a company, we are a family and if she wasn't fully committed to being here then she should just leave. So making a permanent alteration to the garage kitchen is my way of apologizing and showing her that I believe that she intends to permanently be a part of Scorpion."

"That seems likely now that she and Walt are together. That's kind of crazy, right?"

"Not really, when you consider how long they ignored their feelings for each another"

The rest of the half-hour ride out to Kitchen Depot was spent in a contented silence. Happy had time to think about her interactions with Paige over the past year. While they had an amicable relationship now, there was still a bit of a rift from the events of last spring. At the time, Happy was extremely angry at Paige for threatening to leave Scorpion, causing Walter to spiral emotionally, turn to high-speed driving to cope, and crash his car on the cliff.

Walter O'Brien was someone Happy considered family and one of the few people that she trusted. The man with the 197 IQ discovered Happy as a teenager, paying people to stand in for her at fabricator competitions. As a genius, Happy had a low emotional quotient to begin with, making it hard to connect with others, let alone learn to trust them. This, combined with losing her mother before she could even know her and being abandoned by her father, made the normal act of learning to trust others one that took a herculean effort.

Even when they first met, she believed Walter to be a different kind of genius. Something about his desire to build a company where geniuses worked together to solve some of the world's most complex problems intrigued her. She admired him enough to give his idea of an emotional liaison a chance. Connecting to the rest of the world wasn't something Happy necessarily aspired to, but it could be good for the business, and not having to steal electricity, or worry about Sylvester literally losing money every month and Toby losing money at the poker tables, was absolutely something she aspired to.

As a genius, Happy could focus through almost anything. However, her train of thought regarding the team's early struggles having Paige on the team were high-jacked by the song blaring from the radio and Toby's mouth as he sang along loudly…

 _We get it almost every night  
When that moon is big and bright  
It's a supernatural delight  
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight…._

Listening to the familiar tune, Happy couldn't help but smile, as it instantly brought to mind team dinners on the roof and holiday celebrations in the garage organized by Paige. The first was to commemorate Ralph's new telescope, then for birthdays, to celebrate completing a tough case, or for no real reason at all. These events, among others, resulted in the team spending a lot more time together in more social settings, something they would have never even considered before Paige joined the team. She certainly caused them to act more like a family, Happy thought.

Without Paige's influence and example, Happy's two most significant relationships may not have come to be.

No one on the team was particularly fond of Drew Baker, or "bio dad," as Toby called him. Having become attached to Paige and Ralph, this team of geniuses, supposedly with no emotions, internalized the hurt that the two felt when Drew left, and understood the impact that a failed attempt at reconciliation could have on the young genius. Still, Happy encouraged Paige to let Ralph meet Drew. Happy knew all too well the pain of waiting for a parent to return, as she waited expectantly for her father to come and rescue her from foster care. Drew wasn't father of the year, but at least Ralph could get to know his father, and didn't have to wonder where he was or if he was ever coming back.

Regardless, Paige's courage in allowing Drew a second chance gave Happy the courage to give her father, Patrick, a second chance as well. After initially working side by side with him at his shop, there was a father–daughter reunion on Christmas Eve the previous year. The relationship progressed slowly at first; Happy was still cautious and guarded emotionally. They had been talking more frequently since Patrick helped save Walter, Cabe, and Happy from a submarine a few months ago. A picture of the dollhouse she rewired, along with Toby, was proudly displayed in his shop and served as a reminder to both Happy and Patrick of the chance they have been given.

Happy glanced at the man to her right and smirked. She had no idea how to classify their relationship, but she was sure that the mere possibility they were something other than friends and colleagues was mostly Paige's fault. There was a chance the relationship would have developed as a result of the behaviorists' tenacity and sheer refusal to give up on the two of them, but if it wasn't for Paige pushing the team to get in touch with their own emotions and connect more to each other, she wouldn't have been open to his advances. "Dammit Paige," Happy mumbled to herself before smiling at Toby, who is animatedly bobbing and singing along to the music.

Despite Happy's growing emotional quotient, she was ever the pragmatist, and her thoughts turned to how impressed she was by Paige's work on cases. Paige was hired to help the team fit in amongst normals, something that she did very well. Paige's knowledge of "normal" human behavior had been essential to solving some of the team's cases, but it wasn't what impressed the mechanic the most. The evidence was clear: Paige was calm under pressure and able to encourage the same focus in the geniuses. Their minds ran constantly, which was usually good for solving problems quickly, but sometimes they needed to take a beat and reset, as Paige sometimes said. In other situations, Paige's quick thinking helped certain members of the team complete tasks despite their anxieties and neuroses. On multiple occasions, Paige helped to calm Sylvester, the human calculator and the most human genius on the team, including when he had to walk through the room with the diseases, when they were up against the super computer, and when they were fighting a virus moving quickly through a hospital.

The main reason that Happy was willing to forgive Paige and offer this token of a "clean slate" was that Paige always had faith in the members of the team. Even when her own life was threatened during cases, she never deviated from the team's plan. She showed complete trust in them. Happy contemplated what this meant, considering that she had Ralph to think about, and acting to save her own life was the most efficient way to ensure that she would be safe and Ralph wouldn't have to be raised by Drew.

When he could, Walter would try to spare Paige, for Ralph's sake. Happy forced herself to believe that because she didn't want to dwell on the actual motivation behind his actions. Even when he couldn't, Paige never faltered; she had this unwavering faith in the team's ability to save everybody, including her.

During all of the times in foster care when Happy thought of family, she thought of people who could depend on each other no matter what. Happy found family in Scorpion and this gift would signify that Happy considered Paige part of her family. The garage was like their home and needed to reflect everyone. Toby had his desk space and the conference room for when team members needed to talk in confidence, Walter had the loft, and Sylvester had his germ-free zone and boards for equations. The slate countertops in the kitchen would add a touch of Paige to the garage.

Happy pulled into Kitchen Depot as Toby joked, "At the very least, these countertops may help Paige prepare delicious meals more efficiently, making this a win-win situation."

~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~ ~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~

"Fibonacci Sequence…" Megan smirked. "It's among phrases like Pythagorean theorem, Pi, FOIL and SohCahToa that I've heard Walter talk about but have no idea what they mean," she joked to Sylvester as he tore a page of the calendar in her room, revealing the date: March 13, 2016.

Sylvester laughed, bringing a glass of water with a straw to his wife's lips to calm the coughing caused by her laughter. "The Fibonacci Sequence is a sequence of numbers where the next number is determined by adding the two previous numbers. For example, 0,1,1,2,3,5,8, etc. When this sequence is graphed, it creates a spiral pattern."

"That sounds very mathematical, and not like something that would appeal to Paige at all."

Sylvester gestured for Megan to wait while he went to grab his tablet. He moved a chair closer to the bed before continuing in a more animated tone, "The spiral pattern created by graphing the Fibonacci Sequence manifests itself in some interesting places. It can be found in galaxies such as the Milky Way." Sylvester tapped the tablet to show pictures of the Milky Way that he and Ralph took at the observatory earlier in the week. "It is seen in nature, such as in the pattern of flower petals around the stem, or in the pattern of pine cones…" Sylvester again brought up photos taken by Ralph. "Finally, it is seen in some famous art and architecture around the world."

"So the Fibonacci Sequence is literally a combination of Paige and Ralph: it's a mathematical equation, but it has aesthetic applications that would appeal to Paige"

"That was mine and Ralph's thinking when we came up with the idea to make a photobook including pictures of places where Fibonacci spirals can be found, side by side with those same pictures overlaid with its Fibonacci spiral. The normal pictures will include a summary of the place where the picture was taken, and the Fibonacci overlay will include the equation used to create the spiral." Sylvester stopped talking suddenly, looking anxiously at the tablet, as he finished his explanation of the gift he and Ralph were working on for Paige.

Megan, sensing her husband's anxiety, grabbed his hand to get his attention and assured him, "It is a very creative idea and I am sure she will love it, but where are the pictures for the art and architecture?"

Sylvester smiled. "That's a surprise to be revealed in four days when we give Paige her presents."

"Oh come on, I may be dead by then," Megan quipped.

A placid expression crossed his face. "That's not funny." Megan didn't force him to tell her and instead changed the subject. "Helping Ralph come up with a project to stay connected to Paige must have been difficult for you, considering your childhood."

"It was, because it's because of my childhood that I knew it was important. When I talked to Ralph, he was so afraid of losing his connection with his mother. I would never want him or Paige to go through what I did, so I'm happy to help them."

Sylvester squeezed Megan's hand and sat in contented silence, recalling his emotional conversation with Ralph about a week ago.

 _Sylvester walked into the garage after visiting Megan to find Ralph quietly reading in the lower level. "Hey Ralph, what are you doing?"_

 _"Reading a textbook I borrowed from Toby."_

 _Sylvester nodded in acknowledgement of the boy's answer before turning to work on his board. Usually Sylvester would get lost in his work, oblivious to anything around him, but since there wasn't anyone but he and Ralph in the immediate vicinity, he thought it prudent to keep some of his attention on Ralph in case something happened._

 _"Ralph," Sylvester called, not even looking up from his whiteboard, "The pages of that book are thick enough that I would hear the pages turn, and I haven't heard a page turn in ten minutes. An average human reads roughly 300 WPM, and I know you read no less than 700 WPM at your most relaxed speed. So either the pages of that book have more words than I think, or you're not really reading…"_

 _Sylvester stopped talking and turned around when he heard Ralph sigh. Sylvester had the most EQ of anyone on the team, but he'd learned from Paige and Toby that the sound Ralph made, combined with the body language he was exhibiting, were signs of stress and anxiety. Sylvester immediately brought his current algorithm to a concluding point he could pick up later, and sat next to Ralph on the couch._

 _Sylvester didn't say anything, but Ralph knew he was there, and after a few minutes, he raised his head and asked out of the blue, "Sylvester, do you miss your parents?"_

 _Sylvester was caught off guard by the young genius's question, but the answer wasn't difficult. He couldn't discern the boy's motive for the question, so he did what all geniuses did best and stated the facts. "Ralph, I haven't thought about or talked to my parents in over a decade."_

 _"Do you think that your parents miss you?"_

 _Sylvester wasn't sure, but somehow sitting so close, and seeing Ralph's expression, he knew his answer wouldn't please the boy. But he had to tell the truth. "Ralph, my parents and I really didn't get along too well, that is why I left home at a young age. To be honest, I don't think that they think about me. For years, they couldn't contact me; I used hacking to get any money that I needed, so there were no credit cards to trace. But since Scorpion has been working on more high-profile cases, we've been on the news, so I'm sure they know where I am now and choose not to contact me. It's okay though, because the team is like my family. Walter and Megan actually are my family, legally. I have a new family," Sylvester concluded with a smile, assuming that he had cheered the boy up. He was about to go back to his board when he noticed that Ralph's body language was still displaying anxiety, so he stayed and waited for him to continue the conversation._

 _Ralph looked around the garage, as if making sure that he and Sylvester were alone, before continuing in a matter-of-fact tone, "Until they came here last year, Walter hadn't seen his parents since he was a child, Happy didn't know her father for over twenty years, and Toby never speaks fondly of his parents. It seems that…."_

 _By this time, Sylvester had started to understand Ralph's line of inquiry. Even he could see the panged expression in Ralph's eyes, confirming his hypothesis. Sylvester moved to swiftly interject before Ralph could vocalize his distressing thoughts. "Ralph, your mother is different. You know that, right? All she's ever wanted is to be connected to you. She never tried to change you. She celebrates your mental abilities, and lets you work here at Scorpion so that you can become even more skilled. She understands you, and all of us; that's why she's so good at her job. That's why she is able to help us all connect more to each other."_

 _A small smile graced Ralph's face, but it soon returned to an anxious expression. "Even if mom wants to connect with me, we still don't have a lot in common. I like math and science, mom likes art, history, languages. I'm left brained and she's right brained."_

 _Sylvester thought for a minute. "It's true, the brain has two separate spheres, but there's also the corpus callosum."_

 _Ralph's face morphed into a wider smile as Sylvester continued, "There's a bridge between the two cerebral spheres, and I'm sure there's a way to bridge your interests with your mother's. Who better to build a bridge than a team of geniuses?"_

 _Sylvester was adverse to unnecessary physical contact, but felt a high five was warranted under the circumstance, reaching for his Purell immediately afterward. They didn't even hear Paige moving toward them._

 _"Hey, sorry I lost track of time, it's too late to cook anything for dinner. You guys want to go to Kovelsky's for dinner?"_

 _Ralph looked at Sylvester, who again nodded in silent affirmation of the young genius's thought._

 _"Mom, do you mind if just the two of us go to dinner?"_

 _Sylvester smiled as the small family walked off, chatting excitedly hand in hand. He erased the algorithm he had been working on and starting working on ideas to bridge the seemingly divergent interests of the young mother and her genius son. To Sylvester, family meant people that you were connected to and bonded with forever. He didn't have that with his biological family and was happy to have found it in Scorpion, with Paige's help. Now it was his turn to repay her._

"Sylvester," Megan called, rousing her husband from his thoughts, "I would like to contribute to your gift. I used to love to take pictures before I got sick. I took pictures of all kinds of flowers in Ireland, especially Globeflowers and Bog-rosemarys. I'm not sure if they have this spiral pattern, but if they do and you can use them, feel free. Also, I have a nice antique camera that might be of some sentimental value to Paige."

"That's very sweet of you." Sylvester kissed Megan's forehead as she drifted off to sleep before grabbing his tablet and heading back to the garage to continue his project.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR'S NOTES

1\. I do not own Scorpion or its characters, CBS owns Scorpion and its characters.

2\. Special Thanks to my betareader: Lookingforthestars (SN: You should check out her new story Will You?)

3\. I wrote most of this chapter at my grandfather's bedside in the hospital. Therefore, a major theme of this story is family.

4\. After this chapter I think there will be two or three more chapters. The final chapters will include the rest of the team reflections, a team dinner scene, the team exchanging gifts with each other, and Walter and Paige exchanging gifts.


	6. Chapter Six - Team Dinner

**I am really sorry that it took so long to update this story. I don't really have any excuses, I just had a bout of writer's block with regard to this story. I have a good idea of the direction of this story now and it shouldn't be so long between updates. Here is the latest installment. This is more of Ralph's reflection and Cabe's reflection, the team dinner, and some fun WAIGE moments. This chapter should bring the events of May 13** **th** **full circle.**

 **~~ SCORPION ~~ SCORPION ~~**

 **Graduation Day**

 **Chapter Six - Team Dinner**

By the time Toby and Happy returned to the garage with the slate countertops, Walter had emerged from his loft to get ready to leave. He would have stopped to help, but being late to pick up Ralph would have been inefficient.

Walter knew what a big deal it was for Paige to authorize him to pick up Ralph, and the genius was always happy to do it. Not only did it provide occasional reprieves to the young mother juggling a high intensity job and college, but Walter was always excited to spend extra time with his friend and protégé. He approached the classroom and quickly registered Ralph's surprise at seeing him. He deduced that Paige must have forgotten to tell Ralph that she wouldn't be picking him up; further evidence of his girlfriend's recent bout with anxiety, he supposed.

Regardless, Ralph, though caught off guard, was happy to see his mentor and ran right up to Walter. Both geniuses remembered to wave goodbye to Ralph's teacher before engrossing themselves in conversation. There was a slight grin on Walter's face as he left the room thinking of Paige, and the many ways that she was making him more human.

The two were as secure as possible in Walter's Datsun before Ralph finally inquired about the change in pickup routine. "Walter, why did you pick me up today? Where's mom?"

"Your mom was having some trouble focusing on work, so she's spending the day away from the office to clear her head."

"If mom was having trouble focusing, do you think that she will remember we're cooking team dinner tonight? Billy and Sloan were looking forward to me bringing them some chicken piccatta to taste."

Walter pondered Ralph's question. Paige, even for a normal person, was a genius organizer and didn't forget many things. Scorpion's bills, the seemingly endless case paperwork, her own schoolwork, and Ralph's schedule were all juggled masterfully. Walter was usually good at focusing his thoughts, but lately whenever Paige crossed his mind, his thoughts tended to devolve quickly. It had been three weeks, and man did he miss her. But before Walter got too far down that road, Ralph interrupted. "Walter, do you think we should call mom?"

"Huh? Uh, yeah buddy, that may be a good idea. She may have forgotten."

Paige briefly spoke with Ralph about his day before asking Walter to take Ralph shopping for ingredients for dinner.

~~ SCORPION ~~ SCORPION ~~

"So how is your gift project with Sylvester going?" Walter asked as they walked down the supermarket aisle.

Ralph was quick to respond, "It's going great, we are done taking the pictures, so we just need to calculate the Fibonacci spirals for each image."

He nodded silently, prompting the observant young genius to ask, "Walter, are you upset that I didn't ask you to help me with this project?"

Walter stopped. He loved working on things with Ralph, but the gift he chose for his mom involved math and art. Sylvester, in addition to being a genius mathematician, had an understanding of the aesthetics of art, making him the logical choice to assist on the project. Walter finally turned to Ralph and answered, "Of course not, pal. Sylvester is the most efficient choice, given his skills and interests."

"Do you think mom will like it?"

"Your mother will love the gift because it came from you," Walter answered quickly with a smile, surprised that he came up with the appropriate response so quickly.

Ralph stared up at Walter, beaming. "What I mean is, do you think she will get the idea of the gift? That even though we're different, we still have a lot in common. I know mom is always afraid that we don't have enough in common; I just want her to know that we do. Also, I am excited for the special surprise we have planned."

"Ralph, the project is perfectly designed to highlight the connection between math and art. I know that you and Sylvester will execute the project impeccably. I'm confident that it'll work. Your mother will also love the special surprise. I'm almost done coordinating the details with Cabe."

The smile on Ralph's face told Walter he had eased the boy's fears. Walter marveled at how much EQ Ralph had. Walter never tried to connect with his parents, and they didn't work too hard connecting with him either, which was why they didn't really speak. Walter didn't want the same fate for Paige and Ralph, and was glad that they were trying so hard to forge and maintain a relationship.

The two finished their shopping trip and returned to the garage. There was a note on Walter's desk from the team saying that they had gone to Paige's favorite bakery to pick up dessert. Walter told Ralph to get his homework done and then he could play chess on the computer until his mom returned and it was time to cook.

~~ SCORPION ~~ SCORPION ~~

Cabe walked unnoticed into the kitchen of the lower level of the garage, and observed the tranquil scene of Ralph, Walter, and Paige cooking. The agent had no idea regarding the interesting couple of hours the genius and the liaison had shared in the kitchen. First, there was the romantic scene of a couple reconnecting after a forced three-week abstinence, followed by Walter comforting Paige as she relived some painful memories.

The agent stood quietly against the door frame. All he had ever wanted was for Walter to find peace and happiness, and he hoped Walter would allow himself to be happy in the family that he created for himself. Cabe remembered a conversation they had regarding the genius's anxiety about pursing a relationship with the woman standing next to him—a discussion that occurred in the last place anyone would expect two grown men to address such things.

 _It was a Saturday, and Walter was watching Ralph while Paige studied on campus. She had called to say that she was going to be later than expected because she needed to go to the library to gather some materials she needed for her assignments, and asked Walter if he could take Ralph to Billy's birthday party._

 _Cabe was returning to the garage from a boxing lesson with Toby and found Walter frantically pacing the garage. The agent gently approached, but still wound up ducking as Walter's arm swung wildly in his direction. "What's wrong, son?"_

 _"_ _P-Paige is r-running late and asked me to escort Ralph to a birthday party."_

 _Cabe just glared until Walter added more context to his statement. "There will be parents, and kids, and if I don't interact appropriately I could embarrass Ralph, and Paige." The genius put his hands on his knees and started to hyperventilate._

 _He tried to calm the genius, to no avail. "Tell you what, why don't I tag along to keep you from doing anything too embarrassing?"_

 _Naturally, Ralph was excited to have two of his favorite people escort him to the party. In the car, Ralph talked about how excited he was for everyone to see Walter and Cabe again. The three of them arrived at Chuck E. Cheese and were greeted by Billy's mom. "Mr. O'Brien, Agent Gallo, nice to see you again. Always nice to see you, Ralph. Billy and the other kids have already started playing games. We will have pizza in a little bit."_

 _Ralph quickly released from Walter's grasp and ran towards his friends. Billy's mom then turned to the men. "Paige texted that you would be bringing Ralph, but she said you might have some important government business to get back to. If you need to go, I am more than happy to drop Ralph back at the garage when the party is over."_

 _Cabe saw the smile on Walter's face, and couldn't help smiling himself. Paige knew him so well and provided an excuse to save him from potentially embarrassing himself in this new social situation. Walter was about to avail himself of this opportunity when Cabe tapped him on the shoulder. "Will you please excuse us a minute?" Cabe ushered Walter a few feet away and spoke softly, "I think you should stay. You heard Ralph in the car—all of his friends are excited to see you again. Besides, you've been working hard to connect with people. I think you should stay."_

 _Walter reluctantly agreed and informed Billy's mother. She showed them to the tables where the other parents were relaxing._

 _Cabe broke their silence. "So, have you and Paige talked about your relationship?"_

 _"_ _What? Uh, yeah, we decided to just be friends and colleagues. I told you that."_

 _"_ _You're still sticking with that, after everything that's happened?"_

 _"_ _Nothing has happened to change my analysis of the situation. Has Paige said something?"_

 _"_ _Would you be interested if she did?"_

 _"_ _Uh, no, of course not. I was just curious."_

 _Cabe sighed. "You're a logical guy, so let's examine the logic of the situation. I've seen the way you look at Paige, so you can't tell me you're not attracted to her. I also know that you would do anything for her; after all, here you are at Chuck E. Cheese on a Saturday afternoon because she asked you to bring Ralph. I've seen you put yourself in mortal danger to protect them. Have those instincts changed, even though you're just friends and colleagues?"_

 _"_ _N-no, not exactly, but it's still not the same."_

 _"_ _Well, how exactly do you think a relationship would be different?"_

 _Walter's hands twisted in his lap. "T-there are different expectations in relationships, and history has shown that I am no good at meeting those expectations. The evidence is clear that if I engage in a relationship with Paige, it will likely fail."_

 _"_ _Paige is different. You know that, right? She knows exactly who you are and she hasn't run." Cabe dropped his hand onto Walter's shoulder. "This is the last word I will say on this. If being with Paige makes you happy, and you can't imagine your life without her in it, then you owe it to yourself to talk to her about it. There are no relationship rules, Walter. The people in the relationship get to decide the parameters of the relationship."_

 _Cabe was about to continue his lecture when Ralph and Billy ran breathlessly up to Walter. "Walter," Ralph said frantically, "The game machine is broken, and I think I can fix it, but they won't let me."_

 _"_ _Of course not, Ralph, you're just a kid," Cabe laughed as both Walter and Ralph glared at him. The agent rolled his eyes. "Okay, let's see if a badge can't change their minds about letting you guys take a look, but I need a minute with Walter first."_

 _Cabe ushered Walter a few feet away from Billy and Ralph. "Look, you have a woman who has never asked you to change. She appreciates you for who you are. I would dare to say that she loves you, in spite of your quirks. When you find a person that loves you for who you are, you don't let that go." Walter prepared to challenge Cabe on this point, but Cabe never gave him the chance. "Listen, son, the bottom line is this: if she makes you happy, just talk to her about it and see where she stands."_

Cabe shook himself from his memories. He couldn't help but smile, because a few weeks later, Paige and Walter had decided that they would give a relationship a try. He was glad that Walter was finally allowing himself to experience happiness.

Cabe felt around in his jacket pocket and pulled out a photo of a young Walter, smiling and playing with a dog at his home in Ireland. It was one of Cabe's favorite pictures. It was a reminder that, no matter how much he insisted otherwise, Walter was very capable of being emotional. It was also one of the few times that Cabe remembered Walter being truly happy. He planned to give the picture to Paige. Walter on a good day could be difficult, and Cabe could only imagine what Walter in the midst of an emotional romantic relationship would be like. The picture would be a reminder of Walter's potential emotional quotient, and would hopefully encourage Paige to be patient as the genius navigated being in a real relationship for the first time.

~~ SCORPION ~~ SCORPION ~~

Walter, Paige, and Ralph were still in their own world. Cabe put the picture back in his jacket and cleared his throat, grabbing everyone's attention. Paige jumped. "Cabe, I didn't see you. How long have you been standing there?"

"Not long. I'm sorry I'm early for dinner, but I got finished with work and didn't feel like going all the way home."

"Hi Cabe," Ralph exclaimed excitedly, running towards the agent. The young genius's gaze alternated between his mother and Cabe, silently asking for permission to abandon his kitchen duties.

"Go ahead. Tell you what, why don't you two go finish setting the table?" Paige ordered, handing them dishes from the cupboard.

Once he was sure Ralph and Cabe were out of earshot, Walter stepped behind Paige and ran his hands gently across her back before grabbing her hips. He started to lightly kiss her neck and jawline, before stopping at her ears and whispering seductively, "How long before dinner is over?"

Paige turned around to face him, allowing him to kiss her more deeply. She started to moan softly as his lips engulfed hers. After a few minutes, she gathered her resolve and pushed him away. "Walter, the team really will be back any minute, and Ralph or Cabe could come back down from the roof."

Walter muttered between kisses, "There is no one here at this moment though." He was quick to notice that Paige wasn't reciprocating his kisses and abruptly stopped. "Maybe I should g-go help Cabe and Ralph."

Paige sensed his disappointment and grabbed his arm. She moved closer and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek before whispering, "I really am looking forward to tonight." She moved her lips down to his jawline. "Tell you what, if we aren't upstairs by 9:30, then you can bring me back here and ravage me."

Walter grinned before placing his hands back on her hips and pulling her close. "I am going to hold you to that."

The intense gaze of the couple was broken when the front door of the garage slammed. "We're back," the behaviorist shouted, causing the two to jump apart. Walter sighed deeply before busying himself getting the serving dishes from the cabinets. Paige ran her hand through her hair and cleared her throat before settling at the sink to rinse the serving dishes.

Even though the two were going about their separate tasks, Toby could tell something was up when he went to the kitchen to see if he could help with dinner preparations. Paige told the behaviorist that everything was done, and handed him the salad, dressing, and bread to take to the roof. Walter followed close behind with the platter of chicken, and Paige had the beverages.

~~ SCORPION ~~ SCORPION ~~

In a few minutes, the entire Cyclone was gathered on the roof enjoying dinner. Paige and Walter did an adequate job of hiding the anticipation for their evening activities from everyone except Toby.

Paige and Walter sat on either side of Ralph. This small distance kept them from overtly touching each other, but they could fry an egg with the heat generated from their gazes at each other. Other members of the team wishing to converse with them had to repeatedly call their names to get their attention.

"Paige!" Cabe practically yelled across the table.

"Huh? What? I'm sorry, did you say something?" Paige responded finally, ripping her eyes from her boyfriend.

"I was asking if you're excited about graduation?"

"Definitely." Paige smiled. "I'm glad the entire Cyclone will be able to come."

"So you checked your grades? How did you do?" Toby's pointed question drew a rib jab from Happy.

"Uh, I haven't actually checked yet, but my day away gave me some perspective. I am more confident in my chances of success."

Walter addressed Paige in conversation, giving the genius a chance to stare at her without suspicion. "Well, everyone here knows how smart you are and what an asset you are to our team."

Paige was on the verge of tears as she locked eyes with Walter. The intensity of her gaze didn't go unnoticed by anyone, even Ralph.

Her son finally broke the silence by asking, "What's for dessert?"

Paige graciously offered to clear the table and bring up the rest of the meal. Walter quickly agreed to help.

Toby instructed Ralph to cover his ears before asking the rest of the team, "How long should we give those lovebirds before we go pour water on them?"

~~ SCORPION ~~ SCORPION ~~

Paige was dutifully going about the task of getting dessert ready to take to the roof when she felt Walter's hand graze the small of her back. The contact caused Paige to release a barely audible moan. She swallowed before addressing her hyper-amorous boyfriend. "Walter, dessert will be over before you know it, then you can have your way with me in the loft."

Walter was not dissuaded and moved closer to Paige. He had the presence of mind to remove the knife from her hand before continuing to kiss her neck. Paige couldn't prevent her body from leaning back into his kisses. Eventually she turned around and placed her hands around his neck, playing with his curly hair. The two were oblivious to everything around them as they passionately kissed, including the behaviorist who came to check on them when they were taking longer than expected for the task of cutting cake and returning to the roof.

"Ahem." Toby cleared his throat, forcing the couple to break apart. They were caught red-handed—or red-faced in Walter's case, since there were red lipstick prints all over his face—and there was nothing they could do.

"Toby, what do you want?" Walter asked breathlessly.

"We all want dessert. I volunteered to come check on you to see what's taking so long, even though I already knew, and now Happy owes me $50," Toby responded gleefully

"Sorry, Walter and I got a bit distracted," Paige offered unapologetically. "We will be up in a minute."

Toby laughed. "Well, I can tell from here that Walt probably can't move for a few minutes, and even if he could, he'd have to clean his face. You, Ms. Dineen, would need to straighten your clothes. None of the adults would care, but you probably don't want Ralph to start asking questions." Paige and Walter looked at each other. The behaviorist was right; it would take them a few minutes to make themselves presentable. "Why don't you let me make an excuse and treat everyone to ice cream. That way you will have the garage all to yourself. You two obviously have other things on your mind right now."

"No, don't be silly, that's not necessary. We can survive through dessert, right, Walter?" Paige was quick to insist.

Walter didn't respond quite so quickly and Paige shot him a glance that caused him to jump before responding, "Paige is right, w-we can m-make it through dessert."

"No, you can't. You can't even get dessert from the kitchen to the roof. Listen, I will tell everyone there was stray hair in the cake. Sylvester will freak out and insist that we can't eat it because of some germ or another, and I'm sure Ralph won't object to ice cream. I'll just tell everyone you want to clean the kitchen because you don't want Ferret Buller to get into everything and make a mess."

Paige sighed before agreeing to Toby's plan. "Okay, but no chocolate for Ralph."

Toby went back to the roof to deliver the news while Paige and Walter quickly straightened themselves up. A few minutes later, the behaviorist re-emerged in the kitchen, the rest of the Cyclone in tow. Paige told her son that his overnight bag was by the door and urged him to behave for Cabe, before thanking the agent for watching Ralph and telling him there was no rush to have him back the next day.

"I'll bet," Cabe smirked.

The two heard the garage door close. Walter was afraid Toby might be tricking them, and inspected the main area of the garage to discover that he and Paige were, indeed, alone.

He was about to assault Paige's lips with his own when she placed a finger up to his mouth. "Walter, we really do need to clean the kitchen. We can't just leave it like this."

Walter could tell from the look on her face that she was serious. He offered a compromise, knowing that if they both stayed in the kitchen nothing would get done. "Why don't I put the food away, place the dishes in the sink, and lock everything up. You can go upstairs and make yourself more comfortable. Divide and conquer. Efficient," he suggested hopefully.

Paige smiled; she really wasn't in the mood for cleaning the kitchen. She grabbed her bag from the front and retreated to the loft. Paige quickly showered before slipping into the silky pajamas she packed. She sat at the desk, anxiously waiting for Walter to join her.

Meanwhile, Walter made swift work of cleaning the kitchen. His pace quickened significantly once he heard the shower. Less than 20 minutes later, Walter was making his way to the loft. He finally made it to his bedroom, and thoughts of everything else vanished as he saw his girlfriend, wearing his favorite pair of silk pajamas. "I've been waiting for you," she called seductively.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

 **1.** **NO SCORPION MONDAY THIS WEEK, but Katherine McPhee co-hosted a Superbowl Commercial Special so make sure to check that out.**

 **2.** **I do not own Scorpion or its characters. CBS owns Scorpion and its characters**

 **3.** **Special Thanks to my betareader: lookingforthestars**

 **4.** **There are two or three chapters left to this story. I will probably do Walter's reflection as a short chapter, then exchanging gifts with the team, and finally exchanging gifts between Walter and Paige**

 **5.** **I am working on the final chapter of Karman Line Prize, as well as, a steamy WAIGE one-shot I hope to complete by Valentine's Day**

 **6.** **Read, Review, Favorite, Enjoy!**


	7. Kovelsky's (Walter's Reflection)

**Here is the latest installment of Graduation Day. My apologies for the delay. This chapter picks up following the last chapter, after Walter leaves to get breakfast. There will be two chapters left after this one.**

 **~~~ SCORPION ~~**

 **Graduation Day**

 **Chapter Seven - Kovelsky's (Walter's Reflection)**

Walter sat in his car in the parking lot of Kovelsky's, staring through the large glass panes. This is the place where his life changed forever, twice. The first time was when his team rushed into the diner, commandeering it for use as a base for Scorpion's very first case with Homeland Security. That was also the day he met Paige and Ralph. His eyes darted to at the seat at the end of the counter where he first played chess with Ralph, then to the spot at the other side of the counter where Paige had the audacity to confront him, a 197 genius, and change his entire way of thinking. Walter couldn't have known it then, but thinking back, he had probably been in love with her since that first day. She was gorgeous, and genuinely cared about her genius son. She had enough confidence to tell him he was wrong, but when he asked her to trust him, she did. Walter had never experienced that combination of characteristics with anyone. The second time was last spring.

 _Walter and Paige's relationship started out great, but after about six months, things started to change. Walter, even with still-evolving EQ, could tell that Paige wasn't as happy with him as she used to be, causing his feelings of insecurity to return. Around the same time, a new Homeland Trainee Agent, Tim, began shadowing Cabe. At the end of the Tim's first day, after they returned from a relatively simple case, Tim asked Paige out on a date. Paige let the question linger longer than a woman with a boyfriend should, but eventually declined Tim's invitation, telling him that she was involved with someone else. Unbeknownst to Paige, Walter heard the entire exchange from the kitchen. A few minutes after Tim left, Walter emerged from the kitchen and said that he was going to Kovelsky's to get something to eat. He didn't bother to ask Paige if she or Ralph wanted anything, a clear signal of how upset he was._

 _Walter had been at Kovelsky's for a little over an hour when Cabe found him at a table frantically writing on napkins, his food untouched on the side. After waiting a reasonable amount of time for Walter to acknowledge his presence, Cabe finally spoke. "If I didn't know any better, I would swear that you're upset about something."_

 _Walter barely looked up before answering, "I, uh, came here to eat and think over a problem."_

 _"_ _Would this problem have anything to do with the conversation between Tim and Paige earlier tonight?" Cabe asked pointedly._

 _He set his pen down and slowly raised his head. "Paige told you about that?"_

 _"_ _Yes. She told me that you may have overheard a conversation and taken things out of context?" Cabe continued._

 _Walter banged his fist on the table. "Another guy asked Paige out and it took her approximately 210 seconds to decline his request and tell him that she was already involved with someone else…"_

 _"_ _You still shouldn't assume anything," Cabe interrupted. "You can't possibly know what Paige was thinking unless you talk to her about it."_

 _Walter hung his head. "I'm sure it took her that long to mentally catalogue all of the ways that I am inadequate as a romantic partner…"_

 _Cabe was quick to interject. "If that's the case, then why didn't she just accept Tim's offer?"_

 _Walter continued writing and stated, without looking up, "I don't really know, but I've been compiling some plans for how to handle things when Paige breaks up with me."_

 _"_ _I'm sorry, can you repeat what you just said?"_

 _"_ _I said that I am making plans for what to do when Paige breaks up with me," he repeated in a matter-of-fact tone. "How to handle visits with Ralph, how to handle working cases if she needs time off. I may need you to fill in for Paige on the more emotional aspects, also…"_

 _Cabe practically yelled Walter's name to stop his rambling, flashing his Homeland badge to a group of concerned onlookers. "Listen son, you're right, that does seem like a long time for Paige to decline a date from another guy, but you don't know that she wants to break up with you. If Paige is unhappy, then you need to figure out why and fix it."_

 _Walter sighed. "W-what if I, uh, c-can't? May-maybe she would j-just be h-happier with someone else." He struggled to continue, clearly trying to hold back tears that were desperate to fall. "If, uh, being with some-someone else wou-would make her happier, then I c-can accept that."_

 _Cabe eyed Walter suspiciously and handed him a tissue. "Kid, you'd fall apart and you know it. Why are you giving up? Relationships, even for normal couples, take time and work. Some other guy starts making a move on your woman, you don't give up—you dig in, and double your efforts to make sure that she knows, and he understands, that she is absolutely and unequivocally yours." Cabe took the napkins that Walter was working on and tossed them in his water glass. Walter feigned protest, but made no real attempt to stop him. Cabe took a notepad and pen out of his pocket and slid them in the genius's direction. "Now, I suggest you formulate a new plan because every Hazmat team in the country wouldn't be enough to clean up the mess if you let Paige get away."_

 _Walter reluctantly took the paper and asked the closest thing he had to a father, "How exactly am I supposed to approach this problem?"_

 _"_ _I'm no expert," the agent admitted, reflecting briefly on his own divorce, "but I would start by replaying your recent interactions. Did she seem upset or act differently? She wouldn't have come right out and said something—no woman ever does—but has she reacted differently to anything?"_

 _Walter sat pensively. As a genius, he could replay just about any moment he wanted, so he focused on the last couple of months with Paige. The truth was, after Valentine's Day weekend at the resort, Walter and Paige's romantic life had settled into a routine. "Well, um, the only thing I can think of is that she hasn't been as enthusiastic about going to science museums and exhibits with me and Ralph. She has also cancelled some dates lately, but she said that she was busy with school which I found to be a, uh, plausible reason to l-limit our time together. Perhaps I was wrong."_

 _"_ _What kinds of dates has she declined?"_

 _"_ _Well, on Fridays, unless there's a case, we usually order takeout and watch a movie at the garage or at her apartment," he stated factually. "We alternate selecting the movie, so it's an efficient system. Sometimes on Saturday, if Ralph is busy or staying with friends, then Paige might suggest somewhere that she wants to have dinner and I try to see if I can arrange a reservation."_

 _Cabe raised his eyebrow. "So most of your dates involve Ralph, take place either at Paige's apartment or the garage, or are planned by Paige?"_

 _Walter shook his head in affirmation. "I thought it was a good idea to involve Ralph so he doesn't feel excluded, and I like to spend time with Paige at the garage or her apartment because she says that she wants me to talk to her more, and I find it easier to do that when we're alone."_

 _Cabe's previously stern expression softened. "Walter, your approach to dating isn't without its merits, but it's no wonder some other guy almost stole her away from you. Haven't you ever heard of romance? Most women like to be wooed, you know, swept off of their feet."_

 _Walter's face morphed into an undiscernible expression. "That sounds like advice my sister gave me, but I thought she was under the influence of the many Prince Charming fairy tales she made me read to her, right up until the end." Both men were silent for a minute before Walter continued, "Besides, Paige has never complained about how we spend our time together. She is the one that said she could accept me for who I was, and I don't really like being out and around people."_

 _Cabe glared angrily at the genius. "Dammit, Walter, thinking like that is why you came this close to losing her. Getting dressed up and going out to a fancy restaurant and dancing may not seem necessary to you, but it might make Paige happy, and people in relationships sometimes do things they don't want to in order to make the other person happy." Cabe, calmer now, grinned. "Besides, I'm sure you wouldn't complain once you have Paige in your arms wearing a form-fitting dress"_

 _Walter sat up straight and cleared his throat, the agent's description conjuring images of Paige in his mind. "That is uh, true. The handful of times we have h-had to, uh, dress up for a case, Paige has looked impeccable. Do you really think this is why she would consider a date from another guy for 210 seconds? You're right, I really don't want to lose her, but I'm not sure I am suited for this. Romance…wooing, as you called it. I blank out when I'm bored, I'm not a good dancer, and—."_

 _Cabe laughed. "In that regard, you're more normal than you think. No guy is particularly fond of fancy outings, and before you ask why men subject themselves to it as part of the mating rituals, I will say that most guys are able to pretend to like it, or at least hide their detest enough to satisfy their romantic partners. You obviously can't pretend to like something that you don't, so just focus on the fact that what you're doing will make Paige smile. I know you like when she smiles."_

 _Cabe was right; there was nothing Walter looked forward to more than seeing Paige happy. "Okay, I will, uh, give this approach a try."_

 _"_ _Do you remember a few months ago when we evacuated Amici Milano's before it was blown up?" the agent said, reaching into his jacket. "Well, there is a grand re-opening gala scheduled next weekend. The owner only had two tickets to spare and as the leader of Scorpion, it would be nice if you made an appearance." Cabe smiled warmly before adding, "Your liaison should accompany you so you don't embarrass yourself or your company."_

 _Walter took the tickets from Cabe and immediately began muttering to himself as he scribbled in the notepad. "I should ask Paige as soon as possible to give her ample time to plan. I will need to arrange transportation, and I should arrange for Paige to shop for something to wear if she doesn't have anything. Cabe, will you be able to watch Ralph?"_

 _"_ _Sure kid," Cabe answered before slipping his sunglasses on and leaving the diner. He had obviously made his point, as Walter had abandoned his breakup plan and was eagerly working on his date with Paige._

 _~~ SCORPION ~~_

 _Walter was still sitting at the table an hour later, planning his date and thinking about what Cabe told him about romance. He was oblivious to the fact that the very subject of his anxiety was sitting across the table from him until she quietly called his name, grazing her fingers lightly over his arms. The genius immediately stopped writing and looked up. Staring into her brown eyes, glossy from unfallen tears, Walter just froze._

 _"_ _Paige, what are you, uh, doing here? Have you been crying?"_

 _She tried to talk through her sniffling as her emotions bubbled up again. "I'm so sorry, Walter. I should have declined Tim's offer right away." Walter nodded and moved his hands to her face to try to wipe away the steady trickle of tears. "I need you to know that I wasn't even thinking about going out with him, but he asked me to go dancing, and I just got lost in thoughts of getting dressed up and going out. Walter, I was thinking about you the entire time. I would never want to dance with anyone else." Paige quickly realized her faux pas and tried to backtrack. "Not that I necessarily want to go dancing with you. I don't have any problems with how we spend our time together…"_

 _Walter took a deep breath before moving to interrupt Paige's rambling. He wasn't usually a fan of public displays of affection, but since he was trying to be more romantic anyway, Walter planted a chaste kiss on Paige's lips. He pulled back and grinned briefly, thinking about how Cabe and his sister had both been right. "Paige, I'm, uh, sorry too. I know you accept me for who I am, but t-that doesn't mean that I shouldn't try to do things that are more romantic."_

 _Paige moved a hand to his arm. "Walter, you don't need to change for me. I knew when we started dating that there were certain things we probably wouldn't do."_

 _Walter's posture stiffened. The idea that Paige would miss out on things she wanted, things she deserved, because of him was unacceptable. "Paige, I know that I struggle with c-certain things, but if they make you happy, I will try harder to adapt. Even if you are happy with our relationship, my being romantic would make you happier."_

 _Paige tried but failed to hide her agreement. Walter moved a hair behind her ear and reassured her, "Hey, it's okay, I suppose it's not completely illogical to expect your boyfriend to be a little romantic." Walter played with her hair some more before noting, "Emphasis on the word little."_

 _Paige bit her lip and moved to intertwine their fingers. "You're off to a really good start."_

 _After a few minutes of simply sitting and gazing at each other with their fingers linked, Walter released one hand to grab the tickets Cabe left him. "Paige, do you, uh, remember the restaurant we evacuated a few months ago before it exploded? They're having a grand re-opening gala next weekend." Walter suddenly grew nervous and stammered, "Would you, uh, I mean, do you want to go with me?"_

 _Paige grabbed the tickets from his hand and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "Walter O'Brien, I expect to see you at my apartment door next Saturday, looking tantalizing handsome in a tuxedo and black tie. If I can resist the urge to ravage you, then we will go to this gala."_

 _Walter swallowed, but getting in the mood of the conversation, he countered with, "Maybe I will have to resist the urge to ravage you, since you will undoubtedly be wearing a dress that perfectly accentuates your beautiful body."_

 _Eventually the two left the diner hand in hand. There was a brief dilemma when they got to the parking lot since they came in separate cars, but Walter decided that no one would be able to start his car, let alone steal it. Either way, he was willing to risk it rather than let go of Paige at this moment._

~~ SCORPION ~~ SCORPION ~~

Walter emerged from his fond memories and stepped out of his car, parked in the very spot it was that night. After that conversation, he made a concerted effort to break out of his comfort zone and plan more romantic activities. Paige wasn't lying—she did enjoy how she and Walter spent most of their time together, but she was also _very_ appreciative of his attempts to be more romantic.

With Paige being in school, there wasn't a lot of time for romance lately, but Walter was hoping to make a romantic gesture with his gift. He decided that he wanted to play a romantic song for Paige on the guitar. She loved music; she always hummed around the garage, and sometimes she would softly sing when she thought no one was listening. After all of Paige's hard work with school, helping him grow his company, taking care of Ralph, and being patient with him as a boyfriend, Paige definitely deserved a great romantic effort from him.

Walter smirked, thinking that playing his guitar might encourage her to sing, which he would most certainly enjoy also.

He grabbed his newly-purchased iPod, which he brought to secretly listen to the song suggestions from Toby and Cabe. Walter wasn't always the best at expressing his feelings for Paige verbally—he was more a man of action, so he was hoping to find a song that would convey the intense feelings he had for the woman sleeping in his bed. Walter decided he should get the food before his thoughts devolved.

~~ SCORPION ~~ SCORPION ~~

As Walter ascended the steps of the garage, he was careful to be quiet, thinking Paige may still be asleep. He was utterly surprised when she hurled herself at him and engulfed his lips with hers. During a break in their kisses, Walter managed to mumble against her lips, "Breakfast?"

Paige just smiled. "It can wait," she whispered before pulling him towards the bed. Walter complied with his girlfriend's silent request without complaint.

~~ SCORPION ~~ SCORPION ~~

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES**

 **1.** **I do not own Scorpion or its characters, CBS owns Scorpion and its characters**

 **2.** **Special thanks to my betareader: lookingforthestars**

 **3.** **Timnado: I am trying to mentally prepare myself for whatever havoc this guy is about to cause. Whatever it is, here's to hoping it brings WAIGE closer in the end.**

 **4.** **Walter's Gift: I have not picked a song yet, so if you have any ideas please PM me. The only criteria are that it's a love song and that it can be played on the guitar.**

 **5.** **I would like to thank all of the awesome writers who devote their time and creative energy, free of charge, to this fandom. After a stressful day, there is nothing better than coming home to new Scorpion fanfiction stories and chapters to read and get lost in for a while. I know that some of you are writers in the real world, so please let us know who you are so we can support the writing that actually pays the bills.**

 **6.** **Please read, enjoy, favorite, review!**


	8. Chapter 8 - Highest Honors

CHAPTER EIGHT – HIGHEST HONORS

 **This chapter is a slight departure from the reflections and gifts. Since it is a story about graduation, I thought there needed to be an actual depiction of Paige being recognized for the academic achievement. I didn't want to write a graduation scene, so I thought a cording ceremony might work.**

 **I also wanted to feature more of Walter and Paige as a couple. I'm not great at smut, but if I was trying to convey how much they love and care for each other, and some of the romantic / intimate moments of their everyday lives.**

~~~~~ GRADUATION DAY ~~ SCORPION ~~~

After Paige practically assaulted Walter at the door, the two lovers spent a few more blissful hours together in bed taking turns doing very pleasurable things to one another. Eventually, both grew exhausted from their activities and fell asleep.

Paige was the first to stir, stretching as she glanced at the time. She sighed, resigned to the fact that she had to get up and get dressed; she needed to pick up the gifts and visit the tattoo shop. As much as it pained her, she slowly began to extricate herself from the comfortable cocoon of her boyfriend's body.

As Paige stood, Walter immediately noticed that both his girlfriend and his sheets were gone. He looked up and couldn't help but smile at the sight in front of him. Paige was bending over, looking for something on the floor, and perhaps because of the way the light reflected off the sheet, or maybe because Walter just imagined it, the groggy genius was able to make out the outline of his girlfriend's backside through the sheets. By the time Paige stood upright, Walter had positioned himself so that he could remove the top part of the sheet, grab her around the waist, and gently kiss the back of her neck.

"Where are you rushing off to?" Walter asked in a soft voice as he lightly brushed his lips against her neck, as his hands explored her naked body.

Paige moaned and tried to maintain her composure as she responded, "W-Walter, I need to, um…" she took another deep breath, "I need to run, run some errands."

"Do you really have to?" Walter pleaded, his lips still against her neck and his hands kneading her breasts.

Paige took in and let out a few deep breaths, reminding herself of the importance of the day's tasks. After a few seconds, Paige responded, between rapid breaths, "Walter, I really do need to go." Still, she made no move away from him, and he didn't let go. Even after the night and the morning they had, neither was ready to stop.

Paige gathered all the composure she could muster, put her hands over top of his, and lifted them away from her body. She kept a tight hold of one of his hands as she pulled him toward the shower.

"W-What are you doing?" Walter asked halfheartedly, as he really didn't care where his now-naked girlfriend was leading him.

Paige stopped and stepped closer to her boyfriend with a wide grin on her face. She draped her arms haphazardly around his neck, and answered between light, chaste kisses, "We both need a shower and taking one together is more efficient."

All Walter could manage was nodding his head as Paige drew him into the bathroom.

~~~~~ SCORPION ~~~ GRADUATION DAY ~~~~

By 1 p.m., both were fully dressed. Paige was on her way out the door when she received a text message from Cabe. She stopped mid-stride in the middle of the garage to read the text, causing Walter to grow concerned.

"Paige," he called, "is everything okay?"

"Yeah, that was Cabe. He needed to end his day with Ralph early because something came up at Homeland. I'm sure that Ralph wouldn't want to spend the day shopping with me so I have maybe twenty minutes to arrange a sitter."

"Ralph can stay here," Walter was quick to offer. Paige was so busy trying to dial her sitter that she didn't even hear Walter, so he placed his hand on her shoulder to get her attention. "Paige, Ralph can stay here, for as long as you need."

"Are you sure? I don't want to disrupt whatever plans you had for today."

Walter smiled, moving a strand of hair behind her ear, "My plans for today involved you, me, and the bed, but since that it not happening, I am happy to watch Ralph."

Paige smiled before rewarding her second favorite genius with a chaste kiss on the cheek. She quickly backed away, avoiding his grasp, and preventing him from deepening things and causing a further delay. As Paige finally opened the door to leave the garage she called, "Thanks for watching Ralph, Walter. I'll see you later tonight."

~~ SCORPION ~~ GRADUATION DAY ~~~

Ralph had been listening to Walter rehearse his song on the guitar for about an hour when the Scorpion hotline rang. By the time they noticed and went to answer the phone, it had gone to voicemail.

 _Hello, I am calling from the Political Science Department at the University for Ms. Dineen. She hasn't RSVP'd to tomorrow's graduation reception for students achieving the highest honors. The deadline is today, and I know sometimes she gets busy with work, and I didn't want her to miss this opportunity to accept her award as the highest achieving student in our department. Please have her call as soon as possible to confirm her attendance._

Walter listened in stunned silence. He knew Paige was smart; she wasn't a genius, but she was intelligent in her own way. As Walter was caught up in thoughts about his amazing girlfriend, Ralph was the one that reacted first. He dialed the number from the message and spoke without hesitation, "Hello, this is Ralph Dineen. I am Ms. Dineen's son. Unfortunately, my mom is not here right now, but you can pencil in her and two guests for the reception." Ralph paused briefly before asking if children were allowed. The voice on the other end explained that Ralph should definitely come and see his mom accept the award. Ralph confirmed the dress code of the event before hanging up.

Now Walter looked at Ralph, in awe of his easy conversation skills. "Hey pal, you handled that extremely well. Where did you learn that?"

Ralph shrugged and answered, in a matter of fact tone, "I've heard mom use similar techniques when people request for you to attend things. The only exception is that most of the time she calls the next day to say you can't make it."

Walter smiled as his thoughts once again turned to Paige, and all of the great work she did to protect and grow his company. He was pulled from his thoughts by Ralph calling his name, telling him that he did not have a suit, so he would have to remember to ask his mother to get him one.

Walter furrowed his brow, thinking Paige was already quite busy prepping for graduation, which was only two days away. "I have a better idea. Why don't I take you shopping for a suit, and we can surprise your mom?"

Ralph smiled and started bouncing on the balls of his feet, indicating his excitement. Walter carefully packed away his guitar for the time being and the two headed out to Barney's New York. Though Walter didn't really put any stock in clothing brands, he knew it would mean a lot to Paige for Ralph to have a quality suit.

~~~ SCORPION ~~ GRADUATION DAY ~~~

Paige fumbled into her apartment, the bags containing gifts and trinkets for the team, along with the pain from one particular gift, causing some issues with balance. Paige had also tucked the large stack of mail in one of the bags, making a mental note to clear out the mailbox more often since she was spending more time at the garage.

Paige quickly hid the presents away in her closet before attacking the pile of mail. She had been going through the rather routine mass of bills and correspondence when she saw an envelope from her university. Paige gasped as she read the reception invite, suddenly remembering that she forgot to RSVP. She grabbed her phone and frantically dialed the university, relieved when the department office assistant answered and explained her conversation with Ralph earlier. Paige held back tears, and confirmed that she and her guests would be attending.

The liaison immediately called Walter to confirm that he was okay with going to the reception, since there would be strangers, and people who studied everything but math and science. He insisted that he was excited to go and that he was actually out at Barney's getting a suit for Ralph to wear to the event. Paige was floored; she knew Walter didn't care much about name brand clothes, so taking Ralph to Barney's was probably for her benefit. Paige offered to come down to help pick out the suit and pay for it, even though she knew that request was futile. They planned for the two to finish shopping, pick up dinner, and then meet back at Paige's apartment.

Later that evening, the unofficial family spent a comfortable evening eating dinner, followed by Ralph and Walter playing a few rounds of games while Paige relaxed. She had hoped to have mother–son bonding time with Ralph the next day, so she was relieved when Walter told her that he did not need Ralph at the garage.

Walter didn't protest spending the day alone because he still needed a lot more time to practice the song he intended to gift to Paige.

~~~~ GRADUATION DAY ~~~~ SCORPION ~~~~

It was 5 p.m. the night of the reception, and Walter delivered a few solid knocks to the door before Paige answered.

Paige and Ralph had spent a peaceful day together. They cooked a pancake breakfast, read and relaxed in the park, and took in an exhibit at the science museum. When they got back to the apartment to get dressed, Ralph needed help with something, so he called Walter.

Paige opened the door wearing a black cocktail dress—nothing special, really, since she only remembered about the reception yesterday, but Walter still stuttered while trying to complement her. Oh, how she loved his adorable stutter!

As he stood at the door wearing the ensemble he had previously been told brought out his eyes, Walter would swear that he heard a barely audible moan escape Paige's lips. Before he could ponder the sound, she was standing right in front of him, her hands gently brushing against his chest and playfully tugging at his tie. After a quick glance to ensure her son wasn't spying, Paige kissed his jawline ending at the side of his lips before whispering in his ear, "Does it bother you when I get this close?" Both smiled, remembering the first time she asked him that question. This time though, after gazing into his eyes, there was no hesitation before their lips joined in a brief but passionate kiss. As they broke apart, Paige reached up to play with his hair. "Thank you for coming Walter, I really appreciate it. Ralph needs help with something and doesn't want me to see him until he is fully dressed."

Walter answered, smoothing his tie and clearing his throat, "It's uh, it's no problem. I should just, uh, go s-see what he needs."

Paige smiled, reveling in the effect that even chaste kisses and light intimate touching had on her boyfriend, before stepping to the side to allow him to go help Ralph.

~~~ SCORPION ~~ GRADUATION DAY ~~~

At precisely 6:30, Paige, Walter, and Ralph stood outside of the double doors of the lounge where the reception was being held. Walter inhaled and slowly exhaled, catching Paige's attention.

"Hey, you don't have to stay too long if you're uncomfortable."

Walter turned and took both of Paige's hands in his. He looked his girlfriend straight in the eyes, the same way he did when he reassured her of her importance to the team after Collins got into her head. "Paige, you worked really hard for this and we will stay as long as you want." She smiled, taking his arm as he opened the door.

Walter took Ralph to grab some food, before joining Paige, who mingled further at the reception. It wasn't long before one of Paige's professors engaged them in conversation. The middle-aged professor of comparative politics turned to Walter and said, "Paige tells me you are a math and science genius. I'm sure you don't really appreciate Paige's achievements in political science, but she has one of the best analytical minds I've ever had the privilege of teaching."

Paige could tell from his demeanor that he didn't understand that her professor was just trying to make conversation, but before she could stop him, he responded aggressively, "I-I didn't always see the value and importance of studying anything other than math and science, but Paige's knowledge of political history has helped broker peace between two feuding countries, among her other important contributions to Scorpion. Even if it weren't for those things, Paige's achievements would be important to me because she is important to me."

Walter felt a pair of soft hands on his now-clenched fists. He slowly turned to his girlfriend and found an indiscernible look on her face. He knew he had done something wrong, and clumsily attempted to excuse himself, offering to get beverages for everyone. As Walter scurried over to the beverage table, he could hear Paige attempting to smooth over his comments. He felt terrible for embarrassing and disappointing Paige on her big night.

Walter was fumbling to get some of the punch from the bowl when he felt a pair of lips lightly peck his cheek. He turned to find Paige standing close, and she ran a hand over his jawline before whispering, "I'm not mad at you, Walter."

There was a noticeable sigh of relief. Still, the genius felt the need to ask, "Do you, um, I mean, w-would you prefer that I leave?"

Paige took a step back to allow herself room to run her hand over Walter's chest and tug on his tie. She spoke softly. "I absolutely want you here, Walter. I need you here. I wouldn't be here without you supporting me, and I want nothing more than to celebrate this moment with you." Paige was failing in her attempts to avoid breaking down, so she leaned down to whisper in Walter's ear, "I am going to go freshen up. You get Ralph settled at the table and then I want my extremely handsome and supportive boyfriend to escort me to the front so I can accept my award." Though her words were completely innocent, something about her tone caused him to gulp loudly.

Paige was halfway to the bathroom by the time Walter recovered from how close he and Paige had been for the last few minutes. He quickly gathered Ralph and settled him at one of the tables near the podium before returning to the back of the room to wait for Paige. When she emerged from the bathroom, he offered her his arm, the same as he did when they were Mr. and Mrs. Gaugin, and walked her to the makeshift stage area. As he took his seat next to Ralph, Walter couldn't help but smile. Paige looked amazing in her dress and the enormous grin on her face was infectious.

~~~~ SCORPION ~~~ GRADUATION DAY ~~~~

The ceremony was short. They gave special cords to all ten students who achieved honors. Then, there were special awards for the three students with the highest GPAs. As the student with the highest honors, Paige was offered the opportunity to speak, but she declined. Walter and Ralph had been good sports for coming to the ceremony, but she didn't want to put them on the spot by acknowledging them in a speech. Paige accepted her award, and was surprised to find Walter smiling and taking pictures as she shook hands with the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Chair of her department.

After the ceremony, Paige could see that Ralph was getting tired and Walter was getting bored. She made her final rounds before telling her two relieved geniuses that it was time to leave.

~~~ SCORPION ~~ GRADUATION DAY ~~~

Paige stood in her bedroom, looking at her awards plaque and reflecting. She dropped out of school at twenty, spent several long years as a struggling single mother trying to understand her son. She couldn't believe she was graduating from college, let alone being acknowledged for having the highest honors in her major.

She was lost in her thoughts as she felt a hand grasp her waist firmly. Without even looking up, she asked, "Is Ralph asleep?"

Walter began to plant soft kisses on her neck and collarbone. "Uh-huh. We read a few chapters of his book, and I waited until he was sound asleep before I left."

Paige breathed deeply and tried to focus before continuing, "Uh, thank you for, um, coming tonight, it really meant a lot to me that you were there."

Walter stopped what he was doing and turned Paige to face him. He stared at her for a minute too long, and she slowly ghosted her lips over his jawline to encourage her genius. "Walter, is something wrong? Talk to me." He still didn't move or make a sound, so Paige took Walter's hand and gently pulled him toward the bed, motioning for him to sit next to her.

"I just wanted you to know that I am extremely proud of you and happy for you," he said finally. "I was trying to understand in my mind why I feel more excited for your academic achievement than I did for any of my own."

Paige had a wide smile on her face as she moved her hands across his shoulders. "It's probably because you were there to support me and help me," she sighed, "and you know how much hard work it took for me to get to this point. I wouldn't have been able to do this without you or our Cyclone, I hope you know that."

They were so close now that Paige barely had to lean in to capture his lips in hers. They kissed each other hard, both exhibiting emotions, pride and gratitude respectively, that they couldn't seem to adequately express with words.

When air became necessary, they broke apart. When Paige recovered from the long and passionate kiss, she started undoing Walter's tie. "W-what are you doing?"

Paige grinned mischievously. "It's like I just said, school took a lot of hard work, and we have a lot of missed alone time to make up for. Last night and this morning were just the beginning."

Walter let Paige slowly undress him to his boxers between wet, passionate kisses, and then he did the same, stripping her to her underwear. They fell to the bed in each other's arms, and spent the rest of the night making up for lost time.

~~~ SCORPION ~~ GRADUATION DAY ~~

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES**

 **1.** **I do not own Scorpion or its characters. CBS owns Scorpion and its characters.**

 **2.** **Special thanks to my betareader: lookingforthestars**

 **3.** **THAT FINALE THOUGH! I was already in the middle of this chapter and didn't want to stop, but I have an interesting take on how the premiere may go that I will post before the new season. I will say that Walter has some serious apologizing to do. I'm talking, "Cause I Love You" by Lenny Williams, followed by "On Bended Knee by Boyz II Men" (he has seven hours, plenty of time to memorize this and many more songs).**

 **4.** **I have pretty much decided on the song Walter will play as his gift, but I am still open to suggestions. If you have a suggestion please PM me.**

 **5.** **Please read, enjoy, review.**


	9. Chapter 9 - After the Party

_I am so sorry that this update took so long, and is so short. I have more written, but wanted this WAIGE moment to stand alone._

 **After the Party (it's the After Party)**

"Forrrr she's a jolly good fellow, she's a jolly good fellow, for she's a jolly good fellow, which nobody can deny." Toby led what was supposed to be a chorus as they entered the garage from the graduation. The rest of the team stared at him curiously, having never heard the popular celebratory anthem. Toby returned an equally curious gaze, amazed that his friends had been so sheltered from popular culture.

It was Cabe who finally broke the stalemate. "Why don't we all get to the party on the roof? Unless you geniuses are confused about the meaning of dinner and booze."

"I will meet you guys in a few minutes, I need to change," Paige said as she turned towards her genius boyfriend. "Walter, did you bring my bags from the car?"

"Huh," Walter offered after rousing himself from his thoughts. "Uh, I didn't realize you needed them. I can get them right now."

"I'll help," Ralph was quick to offer, remembering that his mother had overnight clothes as well as bags with gifts for the team.

Toby made a whip sound as he approached the stairs. The sound wasn't as low as the behaviorist thought, causing simultaneous head slaps from Cabe and Happy.

"Leave the kid alone, he's in love," Cabe bellowed at Toby.

"Yeah, so am I, but you don't see me at Happy's beck and call."

"That's only because I am not the kind of woman to require that kind of attention, but I assure you that if I wanted, I could have you trained," Happy said with a deadpan expression before abruptly turning and continuing up the stairs.

"On second thought, I think I might enjoy being whipped," Toby replied, following after her.

Cabe just shook his head.

A few minutes later, Walter and Paige were in his room in the loft. After helping her out of her graduation gown and unzipping her dress, the genius turned to leave the room.

"You don't have to leave, you know."

Walter paused before turning back around. "I c-can assure you that the, uh, the most efficient course of action right now is for me to leave while you change. If I don't, then there is no guarantee that we will make it to the roof anytime soon."

Paige smiled, reveling in Walter's ability to make her feel both loved and desired when all he was doing was telling the truth. God, she loved him so much.

She sighed. "Okay, you can leave, but you owe me a kiss first."

Walter furrowed his brow in confusion. Paige strode toward him, speaking softly. "I am your girlfriend, and I've just celebrated a personal triumph. It's customary that we commemorate this occasion with lots of kisses, and other stuff, but that can come later." Paige stood close to Walter, running her hands over his arms and chest before settling them around his neck.

Walter's only response as he stared at his girlfriend and processed what she whispered to him was, "Oh. Okay." He leaned down to deliver what was supposed to be a chaste kiss, but it quickly escalated. Neither party was satisfied using only their lips, and soon their tongues were intertwined, accelerating their activities toward the point of no return.

Despite how much he enjoyed everything they were doing; it was Walter who moved to separate from Paige. "Your, uh, party, on the roof, the team is waiting," he stated breathlessly.

Paige knew Walter was right, so she hesitantly removed her hands from their position around his neck. She watched him make himself presentable in the mirror and bit her bottom lip. That genius had no idea what awaited him after the party was over.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

 **1.** **I do not own Scorpion or its characters. CBS owns Scorpion and its characters**

 **2.** **Special Thanks to my betareader lookingforthestars (her recent stories Anniversary and Renewed are must reads)**

 **3.** **I apologize for taking so long. I don't really have any excuses. I am just in the process of starting a business so finding time to write has been tough. After I finish Graduation Day and Karman Line Prize I will probably have to restrict my writing to one-shots.**

 **4.** **I have more of this story written, but I wanted to let this Waige moment stand alone. That being said, the next update will come as soon as I find time to sit down and type it.**

 **5.** **As always, read, review, enjoy!**


	10. Chapter 10

Paige emerged on the roof wearing jeans and a T-shirt, utterly taken aback at the elaborate setup. The party wasn't a surprise, but Paige wasn't allowed to participate in the planning, which made her a little nervous.

She was aghast at what she saw on the roof. Everyone was dressed in semiformal attire, and there were linen tablecloths, real dishes, catering from Escala, and a table filled with presents. "You guys, I can't believe you did all of this!"

Toby spoke for the group. "What can we say, you have succeeded in civilizing us."

Paige smiled. "Thank you guys so much."

After a couple of hours of eating, drinking and celebrating with each other, Sly gathered the team to begin the distribution of presents. There was a special chair for Paige to sit.

Toby went first. "Ms. Dineen, our fearless emotional liaison, who after spending the day chasing a plane decided to work with us anyway. Today we take this opportunity to celebrate your professional and academic achievements." Toby searched the table, locating his gift. "Before you joined Scorpion, there were many words you could have used to describe Walter, Happy, Sly, and myself. None of these words would have been 'stable' or 'family.' YOU changed that. No matter what, you help us to stay stable." He motioned for Paige to open her gift. "This is a gombac," Toby stated as he moved to grab the item. He had it specifically designed in a lavender color. Knowing how much Paige liked the scent, he hoped that she liked the color as well. "A gombac is a specifically-designed rock that will always return to its most stable point no matter how you place it. That is what you do for us Ms. Dineen, you keep us stable, or as stable as we can get for a group of geniuses."

Paige was touched by the gift and by Toby's words. She stood up to give him a hug and a chaste kiss on the cheek, wiping her lipstick after. These actions did not go unnoticed by Walter, who, from his position slightly out of Paige's view, was able to stand and glare at Toby. These aggressive movements from Walter caused Toby to immediately end his encounter with Paige.

~~~ SCORPION ~~~ SCORPION ~~

Happy stood next, searching the present table for her gift. Obviously, her actual gift was not on the table, but she handed Paige the card that she had prepared. Happy wasn't great at expressing emotions, especially out loud in front of people; she hoped her handwritten note would explain.

"Hey, no fair," shouted Toby, "you have to share your thoughts with all of us."

Happy turned and responded, "Well actually, we agreed to get presents that showed Paige that she has helped us grow emotionally. My present does that, and now she will know why, which fulfills the purpose of the gift."

"Fine," Toby reluctantly conceded.

Paige's expression quickly turned from amused to serious as she began to read Happy's card. _Just wanted you to know that you're family now. I know we have had our differences, but you've proven your loyalty to the Cyclone. Since you are officially part of our family, you should also have a "workspace" in the garage. We all agreed that while you may not have an IQ that's as high as ours, you are a genius in the kitchen. That is why I am going to install those slate countertops that all the fancy kitchens have. Welcome to our family._

By the time she finished, there were tears in Paige's eyes. "How did I not see them?" she asked.

"I put them under a tarp in the back of the garage, I figured you wouldn't think twice about it. The, uh, kitchen will be inaccessible for about a week, but that won't matter because…"

"A-HEM," Cabe cleared his throat loudly and obviously to get Happy's attention.

"Uh, right, it won't matter because we have plenty of money for take-out."

Paige furrowed her brow. "You're lying."

Before she could ponder Happy's statement anymore, though, her son bounded toward the table grabbing the gift he and Sly had been working on. He excitedly handed it to his mother. Paige gasped and immediately started to tear up as she opened the wirebound book. The picture on the cover, designed by one of Paige's artist classmates, showed two separate spheres of the brain, with various symbols identifying each sphere. These two spheres were separated by a suspension bridge, where two figures, representing Paige and Ralph, ran towards each other with their arms open.

As Paige's crying continued, Ralph looked around, anxious that he had made a mistake with the gift. Toby spoke with a grin. "Bud, your mom is just extremely happy. Even I don't understand why women cry when they're happy. I think it's safe to continue."

As his mother turned the page, Ralph nervously explained, "Sylvester and I formulated a project based on the Fibonacci Sequence. The Fibonacci Sequence is a series of numbers where the next number is established by adding the two previous numbers. When this equation is graphed it creates a spiral." Ralph moved closer to his mother. "Scientists don't know why, but the Fibonacci spiral exhibits itself in art, architecture, and even nature."

Ralph continued, explaining how the photos were overlaid with a Fibonacci spiral. Below each photo was the equation used to create the spiral. Paige's tears had been flowing steadily ever since she opened the book. They finally started to subside as she got up to wordlessly embrace her son, even tousling his hair, something she didn't do so much anymore. After all, her boy was growing up.

Paige tried to dry her tears. "Why are some of the pages blank?"

Everyone turned to Cabe. "Paige, words can't describe how much you mean to this team. Nothing can repay you for what you've done to ensure the security of this nation, or the world, or for how you have created such a family out of this group of misfits. I'm gonna be honest, when these geniuses said they were going to try to come up with gifts to show how much you've helped them develop emotionally, I didn't trust them to come through. I'm pleasantly surprised that they've done so well. Regardless, I arranged an additional gift, just in case. Before I get to that," Cabe handed Paige an envelope, "here is a little something just between you and me. Toby!" he snapped before the shrink could pipe up, "if you say I have to read the note out loud, I will shoot you." Turning back to Paige, Cabe continued, "As a thank you, Homeland is going to provide transportation for you and guests all throughout Europe for three weeks. The team here all chipped in to make sure that you enjoyed luxurious accommodations throughout your stay."

Paige put her hands on her mouth, trying unsuccessfully to hold back tears.

Cabe continued, "Uh, we weren't sure if you wanted to travel alone, or with one," Cabe turned to Walter as he spoke, "or two other people. So just let me know and we can finalize the plans." He patted Walter on the shoulder, "Walter here helped me work up a draft itinerary based on places he thought you would want to see, but nothing is set in stone yet, so feel free to change it."

Paige was rendered speechless for a moment, until she said thickly, "I'm, uh, still not sure what this has to do with the blank pages in the book."

Ralph took over again. "So there are great works of art, lots of great architecture, and cool natural wonders in Europe. I thought it would be cool to fill those pages together. The team agreed."

Sylvester added, "Megan thought this would help with taking pictures. She wanted me to remind you that…"

"Life is about making good memories," Paige replied as she started to get choked up again. "I'm so overwhelmed. Thank you guys so much for everything."

Toby interjected as Paige went to give hugs to the team. "Wait, you haven't received all of the team gifts yet. Let's have it, Mr. 197."

"I would very much like to give Paige my gift in private."

"Hey, **_that_** doesn't count as a gift," Toby smirked.

Walter furrowed his brow. "How can you say what will or won't count as a gift without knowing what the proposed gift is?"

Paige quickly regained her poise, and set her mind to doing what she did best: serving as Walter's liaison. "I'm sure Walter wouldn't mind if I tell you all about it tomorrow. As a matter of fact, I also have a gift for Walter that I would prefer to deliver in private, and he can fill you in tomorrow."

Toby smirked. "I shall very much look forward to learning about these private gifts."

Happy glared at Toby before responding, "However, if the gifts are too personal, you can keep them to yourself."

Toby moved to protest, but the serious look on Happy's face convinced him to agree to the compromise.

~~~~ SCORPION ~~~ SCORPION ~~~

Paige had been staring at Walter throughout the whole discussion, intrigued by the idea of a gift that he had to give her in private. She wanted nothing more than to grab him and go to the loft, but she had her own gifts to distribute, and she preferred that they were truly alone before the festivities continued in the bedroom. Although she _had_ written them all detailed notes explaining the gifts. So maybe she could speed up this distribution process and proceed to the after party she had been planning in her head.

The sight of her boyfriend standing at the railing with Ralph, chatting excitedly over something in the clear night sky, made the man even more irresistible. She smiled, her mind made up, and strode towards the corner where her gift bags were. Sly noticed where she was headed, and once again called everyone from their separate locations to gather around Paige.

"I just wanted to get you all a little something to show how thankful I am for everything you've done for me," Paige's voice grew thicker, "and for Ralph. I wouldn't have been able to achieve this milestone without you all." Paige started to distribute the gifts. "I think you geniuses have engaged in quite the emotional outpouring for today, so I will let you all open your gifts in private. There are notes that explain them."

Everyone was busy opening their gifts. Paige stood up to excuse herself to the restroom, and stumbled ever so slightly. This did not go unnoticed by a certain curly-haired genius, the only one on the roof not busy opening a present. He was by her side in what seemed like a second. "Hey, uh, are you okay?"

Paige grinned, as she always did when her unemotional boyfriend displayed protective instincts. "Yes Walter, I'm fine. I think I just overdid it a bit with the celebration."

"Well, after all of your achievements, you, uh, deserve to celebrate. Let me help you down the stairs. I don't want you to fall."

Walter was unsure of what to do while Paige was in the bathroom. He didn't want to wait for her at the door like she was a child, so he opted for sitting on the bed. He closed his eyes and began going over the melody for the song he was going to play and sing for Paige later.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't hear Paige exit the bathroom or feel her climb onto the bed. He only noticed her when he felt a pair of soft lips on his neck. He sighed, leaning back and then turning to face the most beautiful college graduate he'd ever seen. The way she was looking at him caused him to gulp. "Paige…uh, the party." He tried to keep his composure as her hands started exploring.

"We ate, drank, danced, exchanged gifts, I'd say the party is over." She didn't break eye contact as she began to run her hands over his body before settling them around his neck.

Walter cleared his throat. "We should, uh, w-we should say goodbye then."

Paige grabbed him by the waist as he turned to leave. "I think four geniuses and a Homeland Security agent can figure out that we won't be returning to the party." Paige pulled Walter by his tie, until he was next to her on the bed.

"Oh, okay," was all the genius could manage as Paige started to gently kiss his face before attacking his lips with her own.

~~~~ SCORPION ~~~ SCORPION ~~~~~

On the roof, everyone was marveling over their gifts. Toby showed his note to Happy. "And you told me not to mettle. I'm glad someone appreciated my considerable efforts in getting these two together."

Happy wasn't paying Toby any attention as she was too busy inspecting the picture of Paige's tattoo. "That's badass, looks like Paige has a dark side."

On the other side of the garage, Ralph was alternating between making plans to attend the Super Fun Guy premiere with Sylvester and looking at the airplane project he would complete with Cabe. It was a few minutes before he opened his package and was amazed at all of the activities his mom had planned for him. He went to thank her and noticed for the first time that she wasn't on the roof and neither was Walter.

Cabe saw Ralph looking around frantically, and instantly realized why. Something told the agent that he should go look for Walter and Paige instead of sending Ralph.

He came down the stairs into the loft, calling for Paige and Walter. After a few minutes, he heard a combination of laughter and sighing, as well as the popping of kisses. Cabe smiled to himself. Clearly, he didn't have to worry anymore about whether Walter would ever find love. The agent returned to the roof to announce that the party was, indeed, over.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES**

 **1.** **I do not own Scorpion or its characters, CBS owns Scorpion and its characters**

 **2.** **Special Thanks to my betareader: lookingforthestars (I can't wait to see how she concludes her Collins trilogy. The first two stories are Anniversary and Renewed)**

 **3.** **Life has come at the Cyclone fast in the last couple of weeks, but Season 3 will be here before we know it. I'm sure that KELYES on screen magic is still there.**

 **4.** **Karman Line Prize: I have been trying to write the final chapter, but haven't been satisfied with anything yet. I will keep working on it, and post it as soon as I am done.**

 **5.** **I hate to start another story, but I have something I've been thinking about. It's a little late for Ralph Appreciation Week, but it's a future fic involving Ralph. Walter is away and Ralph has to take the lead on his first case, investigating a plane crash.**

 **6.** **As usual read, review, and enjoy!**


	11. Progress Update

I just wanted everyone to know that I haven't forgot about finishing Karman Line Prize or Graduation Day. My grandfather is again gravely ill, there's a possibility he might die very soon, which I am not handling very well. Writing is just really hard because it requires a quiet environment, and whenever it's quiet, I start thinking about my grandpa and I start crying. I have the barebones of these chapters planned, I just haven't been able to complete them. Please know that I will continue to try to complete them and will have them finished as soon as I can.

Renee


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